Game Information
St. Louis Cardinals (60-59) vs Colorado Rockies (30-87)
Time: 6:45pm CT Monday
How to watch: FanDuel Sports Network
Probable pitchers: Miles Mikolas (6-9, 5.11 ERA) vs Chase Dollander (2-9, 6.68 ERA)
DraftKings Odds
Moneyline: Cardinals -219, Rockies +177
Total: 8.5 (over -119, under -102)
Cards Continue Homestand Vs. Colorado
The St. Louis Cardinals look to continue their strong run tonight when they host the Colorado Rockies in the first of a three-game set.
Despite selling off three of their best bullpen arms at the trade deadline, the Redbirds just completed an impressive 5-4 stretch against very good teams in the Padres, Dodgers, and Cubs. And don’t look now, but with the Mets in a freefall on a 7-game losing streak, the Cards have pulled to within 3.5 games of New York for the final NL Wild Card spot.
Mikolas Solid At Home
Miles Mikolas will be on the bump tonight looking to rebound from a poor start in his last outing against the Dodgers where he got rocked for 5 runs and 7 hits in 3 innings. However, the right-hander has been mostly solid against mediocre to bad competition. Mikolas has a 3.54 ERA in 14 starts this season vs. teams not currently in playoff position.
Mikolas has also enjoyed pitching at Busch Stadium this year, as he has a 3.67 ERA at home compared to a 6.47 ERA on the road.
Rockies On A Pitiful Run
The Rockies are in the midst of one of their worst stretches of what has already been an awful season. Colorado has dropped seven straight games while being outscored by an eye-popping margin of 79-23.
Chase Dollander is getting called up from the minors to make the start tonight. The right-hander got sent down to Triple-A after posting a 6.68 ERA in 15 starts for Colorado this season. In 3 starts in the minors, Dollander put up an 8.74 ERA and 1.85 WHIP, yet the Rockies are bringing him back up to be their starting pitcher tonight.
My Pick
I know it’s a long shot, but after going 5-4 in this recent nine-game stretch against strong teams while the Mets are collapsing, the Cardinals have put themselves in a position where they can envision making a postseason push with 22 of their next 25 games against teams currently outside the playoff picture. FanGraphs gives the Redbirds a 9.5% chance of making the playoffs.
I think the Cards start this stretch with a resounding victory. We’re here in the dog days of August, and the Rockies are currently floundering even more than usual. I expect Mikolas to be serviceable tonight, and the Cardinals should pummel Dollander and a Colorado bullpen that ranks 29th in MLB in ERA.
Pick: Cardinals -1.5 at -110 on DraftKings (bet to -120)
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