Game Information
St. Louis Cardinals (34-28) vs Los Angeles Dodgers (38-25)
Time: 7:15pm CT Friday
How to watch: FanDuel Sports Network
Probable pitchers: Sonny Gray (6-1, 3.65 ERA) vs Justin Wrobleski (1-1, 8.00 ERA)
DraftKings Odds
Moneyline: Cardinals -125, Dodgers +105
Total: 8.5 (over -105, under -115)
Dodgers Come To Busch
The St. Louis Cardinals have dropped four of their last six games, and they have a stiff challenge in trying to stop their mini-slump as the Los Angeles Dodgers visit Busch Stadium tonight for the first of three.
The Redbirds’ starting pitching that has been a strength for most of the season has regressed over the last ten games. The starters have averaged just over 5 innings per outing and have a combined ERA of 6.11 during that stretch.
Can Gray Be The Stopper?
Tonight’s starter Sonny Gray has been pulling his weight during this rotation downturn while the rest of the starters have struggled. The veteran right-hander has notched three consecutive quality starts with just 3 runs allowed and 25 strikeouts covering 19 innings.
Gray has served as a stopper this year, and he looks to come through big again tonight. The Cardinals are 10-2 when their ace takes the mound this season, including five straight wins.
Scary Dodgers Lineup
The high-powered Dodgers come to St. Louis with baseball’s best lineup. Here are their MLB ranks:
1st in batting average (.266)
1st in home runs (101)
1st in slugging percentage (.465)
1st in OPS (.806)
2nd in on-base percentage (.341)
2nd in runs per game (5.70)
But LA’s weakness has been their pitching, as the Dodgers rank just 22nd in MLB with a 4.13 team ERA. Tonight’s starter Justin Wrobleski has a 8.00 ERA in just 9 innings of work this season. The left-hander has a career 6.15 ERA in 45.1 major league innings.
My Lean
I have a gut feeling the Redbirds are going to come through with a big win tonight. However, this is just a lean and not a bet for me because I don’t like the price. I was really hoping the Cardinals were going to be plus money against the powerful Dodgers, but I can’t justify betting the Cards at -125. Being price-sensitive is a big key to being profitable in sports gambling.
I have a good feeling about this game because Gray is in an absolute groove right now, and this game screams letdown spot for the Dodgers. They are coming off an intense 7-game homestand against the Yankees and Mets that wrapped up yesterday, and now they travel to St. Louis and give the ball to an inexperienced Wrobleski who has struggled in his brief MLB career.
If somehow this line cratered to +100, I would bet the Cardinals. But if you want to throw a dart on the Cards to win this game at the current price, I wouldn’t try to talk you out of it.
Lean: Cardinals on the moneyline at -125 on DraftKings
Eric Sontag hosts Domesticated Gamblers every Friday on the STL Sports Central YouTube channel. Follow him on X @GamblingDads, and click here for his daily picks on all of our St. Louis area sports teams. Picks = betting the game - minus odds betting to win 1 unit, plus odds risking 1 unit. Leans = no strong opinion, not betting the game. Disclaimer