The Chicago Cubs (46-47) and St. Louis Cardinals (46-47) play the opener of a four-game set Monday at Busch Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Cubs vs. Cardinals odds with MLB picks and predictions.
RHP Alec Mills is the projected starting pitcher for the Cubs. He is 4-2 with a 4.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 7.5 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 over 48 1/3 IP across six starts and 12 relief appearances.
Mills posted a win last time out allowing three runs, five hits and a walk across 5 2/3 innings at home against the Philadelphia Phillies July 7. He has whittled his ERA down from 6.11 to 4.84 across his past four outings.
RHP Jake Woodford is the projected starting pitcher for the Cardinals. He is 1-1 with a 4.62 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 7.5 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 across 25 1/3 IP in 17 relief appearances.
Woodford will be making his first start of the season and just his second major league start since Aug. 15 at the Chicago White Sox in his debut.
Woodford has faced the Cubs in relief twice this season allowing two runs, three hits with two homers allowed in just 2 1/3 innings.
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Cubs at Cardinals odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:50 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Cubs -120 (bet $120 to win $100) | Cardinals +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Cubs -1.5 (+135) | Cardinals +1.5 (-160)
- Over/Under: 9 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Prediction
Cubs 6, Cardinals 4
Money line (ML)
The CUBS (-120) are a decent look as short ‘dogs behind Mills. I just don’t trust the Cardinals (+100) with Woodford making his first start of the season, and he hasn’t fared well in his brief showings against Chicago.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
The CUBS -1.5 (+135) are worth a roll of the dice at plus-money on the run line. In four victories across the past seven games, the Cubs have won by two or more runs in each of the outings.
Over/Under (O/U)
The OVER 9 (-105) is the lean with two shaky starting pitchers on the bump in this series opener. The wind will be blowing in 7-10 mph from straightaway center field. So don’t expect to see a lot of homers, but the total should still inch across the finish line for an Over result.
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