St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs 7/20/2023 Odds, Expert Picks and Tips
On Thursday, July 20, 2023, at 8:05 PM ET, the St. Louis Cardinals will take on the Chicago Cubs in MLB action at Wrigley Field in Illinois. The Miami Marlins visited the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday to sweep a three-game series, but those games are not included in the report. On Tuesday, the Cards defeated the Marlins 5-2 in 10 innings to extend their winning streak to four games. The Milwaukee Brewers, who were in first place in the NL Central on Wednesday, were ten games ahead of the Cardinals after they had won six of their previous eight games. The Cards had a tremendous slash line of.289/.365/.476 in 523 at-bats, including 34 extra-base hits and 21 home runs. The Cardinals’ pitching staff had a 4.22 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and a.261 batting average in 134.1 innings of play this month.
Steven Matz will pitch against the Cubs for the second time this season on Thursday in Chicago. He pitched 3.1 innings in relief for the Cubs on June 24 during their humiliating 9-1 home loss. In 4.1 innings against the Washington Nationals on Saturday, the 32-year-old left-hander Matz gave up four earned runs on four hits and three walks while getting no decision. In 2023, Matz has a record of 0-7, a 4.86 ERA, a 1.51 WHIP, and a 73/28 K/BB ratio. The bullpen has 48 holds this year, the 18th in the league. With a cumulative save percentage of 52.3% and 92 save opportunities, the Cardinals’ bullpen relievers entered games in save situations. They had 44 chances to salvage the game, but only 21 were successful. The Cardinals have thrown 290 relievers this season.
- The total went OVER in five of St. Louis’ last six outings.
- The St. Louis Cardinals are 5-0 SU in their last five matches.
- The Cardinals are 7-2 SU in their last nine games with the Chicago Cubs.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs 7/20/2023 Odds, Expert Picks and Tips
The outcome of a three-game series was to be decided between the Washington Nationals and the 44-50 Chicago Cubs game on Wednesday night. After losing the opening game 7-5 on Monday, the Cubs thrashed the Nationals 17-3 on Tuesday, scoring 14 runs in the seventh and eighth innings. On Wednesday, the Cubs trailed the Brewers by seven and a half games. The match was Chicago’s fourth win in its previous nine games. The Cubs have only hit.257/.330/.393 in 491 at-bats, with 20 extra-base hits and 15 home runs. Their pitching staff’s stats through 126 innings of play were 5.29 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and a.262 batting average against. In July (48.2 IP), the Cubs’ bullpen recorded 4.81 ERA and 4.80 FIP.
Marcus Stroman will not play on Thursday. The 32-year-old righty is 10-6 in 20 starts (118.2 IP) with a sound 2.88 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 101/42 K/BB ratio. Before the All-Star break, Stroman had three poor starts, allowing 12 earned runs on 17 hits in 14 innings. He bounced back, though, and on Saturday, he defeated the Boston Red Sox 10-4. Marcus held the Sawx to three hits and one run throughout six innings while striking out three. Chicago attempted to save games 21 times with the help of bullpen relievers, and 13 of those times, they were successful. They have used 285 bullpen relievers this season and are currently ranked 16th in the league with a 61.9% save percentage. They used their relievers 67 times in high-pressure situations and 71 times with baserunners.
- The total went OVER in eight of the Chicago Cubs’ last eight matches.
- The total went OVER in five of the Cubs’ last five games at home.
- The Chi Cubs are 5-13 SU in their last 18 matches at home with the Cards.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs The MLB pick for this game is the Chicago Cubs. For the third time this season, Marcus Stroman will face the Cards. Stroman was the loser on June 25 as the Cardinals defeated the Mariners 7-5. He produced eight hits, a walk, six runs (three of them earned), and 3.1 innings of work. In six innings of work during a 3-1 loss to St. Louis at home in May, Stroman was given the loss after yielding two earned runs on four hits.
It will be challenging for Stroman to silence the Cardinals, who are currently 39 for 137 against him with six home runs and 26 RBI. St. Louis has a 135 wRC+, a.855 OPS, and a.196 ISO against right-handed pitchers in addition to posting a 122 wRC+, a.799 OPS, and a.160 ISO against left-handed pitchers in July. The Cubs have a 110 wRC+, a.784 OPS, and a.166 ISO against southpaws in July and are 9-for-42 with two home runs and four RBI against Steven Matz, so Thursday’s game at Wrigley Field is likely to be high scoring. Even though the Cardinals now seem to be a more dangerous offensive team, the Cubs should be chosen because Stroman is unquestionably a lot greater pitcher than Matz. The odds favor the Chicago Cubs, who will triumph 5-3.
MLB Starting Time: 8:05 PM ET
Location: Wrigley Field, Illinois
Date: Thursday, July 20, 2023
TV: Marquee
MLB Odds: St. Louis Cardinals +120
MLB Totals: 8.5
