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The St. Louis Cardinals (1-2) take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (3-2) in the finale of a 4-game set on Sunday Night Baseball at Dodger Stadium at 7:10 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Cardinals vs. Dodgers odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Dodgers lead 2-1
The Birds got their 1st win of the season Saturday night, but it took a series of strange circumstances to get it. The 1st rain delay at Dodger Stadium since 2017 took place as a torrential downpour paused things for 35 minutes. The Cards scored 5 in the 7th after a walk, a hit-by-pitch and a catcher’s interference loaded the bases. A sac fly and single plated 2 runs before a balk allowed the go-ahead run in. They’d score 2 more in the frame before closer Ryan Helsley blew it in the 9th by allowing 2 runs. The Cards would win it in the 10th with an RBI groundout.
As you can tell, the loss was rather fluky for the Dodgers, who look to win the series on national TV Sunday night. SS Mookie Betts is on another planet right now after going 3 for 4 with his 4th homer of the young season Saturday. He’s hitting .611 with 4 homers and 10 RBIs. This team is leaps and bounds better than its counterparts right now.
Cardinals at Dodgers projected starters
LHP Steven Matz vs. RHP Gavin Stone
Matz went 4-7 with a 3.86 ERA in 17 starts and 8 relief appearances last year. He had a 1.33 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 8.4 K/9 in 105 innings.
- 2023 as starter: 4-6, 4.04 ERA (89 IP), 1.37 WHIP, 83 K in 17 starts
- 2023 road stats: 2-3, 4.56 ERA (51 1/3 IP, 26 ER), 1.36 WHIP in 9 starts and 3 relief appearances
- 2023 vs. Dodgers: Loss, 4 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 6 K in 1 start, a 5-0 home loss May 19
Stone went 1-1 over 4 starts and 4 relief appearances last year. He had a 9.00 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9 and 6.4 K/9 in 31 innings.
- 2024 spring training: 3.21 ERA (14 IP), 0.79 WHIP, 13 K
- 2023 home stats: 0-1, 8.62 ERA (15 2/3 IP), 1.98 WHIP, 11 K in 2 starts and 2 relief appearances
- Never faced St. Louis before
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Cardinals at Dodgers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:55 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Cardinals +150 (bet $100 to win $150) | Dodgers -185 (bet $185 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Cardinals +1.5 (-135) | Dodgers -1.5 (+110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 9 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Cardinals at Dodgers picks and predictions
Prediction
Dodgers 7, Cardinals 3
Moneyline
If you follow the Cardinals to even a moderate degree, you probably know they often struggle against a pitcher they haven’t faced before. Stone has 6 different pitches, and his sinker sits around 94 mph. Look out for OF Teoscar Hernandez in this one as he teed off for 2 home runs off LHP Zack Thompson Friday night. With another lefty in Sunday, he’s licking his chops.
It’s chalky, but take TEOSCAR HERNANDEZ OVER 0.5 TOTAL BASES (-175), and look to the RL.
Run line/Against the spread
The Dodgers have won 6 of the last 10 meetings, and 5 of those were by multiple runs — including the 2 in this series. You’re going to be hard-pressed to find many Dodgers run lines at plus-money this year, and this one is such because of the rather unknown on the bump.
Take advantage with DODGERS -1.5 (+110).
Over/Under
The Over has cashed in the last 2, and while I’d rather take it at 8.5, I like it again Sunday night. The Dodgers have scored at least 5 runs in each game this season, and if they can get 6 or 7, it should be an easy win.
LEAN OVER 9 (-105).
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