The Arizona Diamondbacks will play the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Fox Sports Arizona is in line to broadcast this NL matchup and the action gets going at 1:15 p.m. ET.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals Odds
Oddsmakers are listing Arizona (-155) as the favorite over St. Louis (+135). Bettors are able to wager on the game’s total with odds posted at -120 for over 7.5 runs and even money (+100) for under 7.5. Bettors can also wager on the game’s spread with the runline odds coming in at Diamondbacks +1.5 runs (+140) and Cardinals -1.5 runs (-150).
The Diamondbacks are 6-2 SU and have gone 5-2 against the spread (ATS). They’ve accumulated 5.3 units for moneyline gamblers this year and 3.0 units ATS. The Cardinals are 4-4 SU and 4-3 ATS. They’ve lost 1.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 0.3 units ATS.
St. Louis games have an over/under record of 3-4 so far in 2018. The Diamondbacks have an over/under record of 3-4.
The Diamondbacks have gained 0.6 units and are 2-1 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this year. The over has cashed in one of those games, as opposed to two that’ve hit the under in such games. On the other hand, the Cardinals have lost 1.0 units and are 3-2 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in three of those games, as opposed to two which went under the total.
Taijuan Walker (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will get the start for the visiting Diamondbacks. The right-handed Walker recorded 146 strikeouts in 157 innings last year (with 61 walks) and finished the season 9-9 overall with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He made two starts against St. Louis in 2017 and put together a 0-1 record against the Cardinals with a 4.50 ERA and 10 strikeouts.
The Cards are putting the ball in the hands of righty Luke Weaver (1-0, 1.80 ERA), who struck out 72 hitters in 60 innings last year (10 starts), while finishing the season 7-2 overall with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
St. Louis’ pitching staff has yielded 3.9 runs per game overall this year as a unit. Its starters have a 4.10 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.21 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 10.3 K/9.
The St. Louis offense is putting up 4.4 runs per contest, including 4.8 per game over its last five. The team’s hit .259/.311/.418 over its last five matchups and is 3-2 SU during that span.
Shortstop Paul DeJong and first baseman Jose Martinez have led the Cardinals’ offense so far. DeJong is slashing .333/.375/.633 with 10 hits, five RBIs and five runs scored, and Martinez’s line is .357/.424/.571 with 10 hits, eight RBIs and three runs.
Compared to his total season slash line of .285/.325/.532, DeJong performed well against right-handed pitching at home in 2017, slashing .383/.416/.695 over 149 such plate appearances.
In the visiting dugout, Arizona’s pitchers have allowed 3.3 runs per game and its starters own a 3.66 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 11.19 K/9. The bullpen has an excellent ERA of just 1.78, along with a WHIP of 1.20.
Diamondbacks hitters have slashed .247/.353/.400 on their way to 5.1 runs scored per game this year, including over the team’s last five outings (4-1 SU).
Arizona’s hitters have been led by A.J. Pollock and Chris Owings. Pollock is slashing .323/.417/.581 with 10 hits, five RBIs and five runs scored, while Owings has a .400 average with 10 hits, six RBIs and seven runs scored.
Owings didn’t seem to enjoy batting on the road in 2017. Over 182 plate appearances, he put up a slash line of .218/.247/.345 (his total season line was .268/.300/.444).
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals Free Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Cardinals, ATS Winner – Diamondbacks, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Notes
The Diamondbacks went 3-4 SU against the Cardinals last season.
The Diamondbacks’ bullpen posted 2.11 ERA against the Cardinals last year.
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