Teams looking to claw their way back to the .500 mark meet on Friday afternoon when the St. Louis Cardinals battle the Chicago Cubs in a key National League Central Division matchup. St. Louis defeated Pittsburgh 4-3 on Thursday, while Chicago dropped a 3-2 decision at Tampa Bay. The Cardinals (33-34), who have won three of four, are 13-16 in day games this season. The Cubs (33-36), who have lost five of seven, are 14-18 during the day.
First pitch from Wrigley Field in Chicago is set for 2:20 p.m. ET. Chicago is a -118 favorite on the money line (risk $118 to win $100) in the latest Cardinals vs. Cubs odds from SportsLine consensus, while the total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 8. Before making any Cubs vs. Cardinals picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It entered Week 12 of the 2024 MLB season on a 129-105 run on top-rated MLB picks dating back to last season, and it has excelled on top-rated run-line picks during that span, going 20-8 (+809). Anybody following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Cubs vs. Cardinals and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are severalMLB oddsand betting lines for Cardinals vs. Cubs:
- Cardinals vs. Cubs money line: Chicago -118, St. Louis -101
- Cardinals vs. Cubs over/under: 8 runs
- Cardinals vs. Cubs run line: St. Louis -1.5 (+161)
- STL: The Cardinals have hit the Under in 12 of their last 17 games (+7.50 units)
- CHC: The Cubs have hit the team total Under in 28 of their last 43 games (+11.30 units)
- Cardinals vs. Cubs picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back the Cubs
Chicago is expected to send left-hander Jordan Wicks (1-2, 4.44 ERA) to the mound. Wicks, who spent more than a month on the injured list with a left forearm strain, will be making his seventh appearance, including his sixth start of the year. He came off the IL last Friday and pitched 3.1 innings on Saturday at Cincinnati and received a no-decision in a 4-3 loss to the Reds. He allowed just three hits, one earned run and one walk, while striking out two. He earned his lone win of the year in a 7-2 victory over Houston on April 23. In that game, he went six innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs with four strikeouts.
Offensively, center fielder Cody Bellinger is among the top Cubs hitters. He has a five-game hitting streak, and was 5-for-13 (.385) with a double, homer and three RBI in the three-game series at Tampa Bay this week. He has five multi-hit games over the past 10, including a 3-for-4 performance in a 5-2 loss to Cincinnati on June 2. In that game he doubled and drove in a run. In 50 career games against the Cardinals, he is hitting .240 with five doubles, six homers and 32 RBI. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back the Cardinals
Right-hander Kyle Gibson (4-2, 3.76 ERA) will start for St. Louis. He is making his 14th start of the year, and has won his last three decisions. In his last outing, a no-decision in a 6-5 loss to Colorado, he pitched six innings, allowing eight hits, three earned runs and two walks, while striking out seven. He has allowed three or fewer earned runs in all but three games. He is looking for his first career win against the Cubs.
Helping power the Cardinals offense is shortstop Masyn Winn. A former second round pick by St. Louis in the 2020 MLB Draft, Winn is batting .302 with 12 doubles, three triples, three homers, 24 RBI and 23 runs scored. He was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored in Thursday's win over Pittsburgh. He has four multi-hit games over the past eight, including a 3-for-3 performance with a homer and two RBI in an 8-5 loss at Houston on June 4. In three games against Chicago this season, he is hitting .429 with a double and an RBI.See which team to pick here.
How to make Cardinals vs. Cubs picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 9.7 combined runs. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model's MLB picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So who wins Cubs vs. Cardinals, and which side has all the value?Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from the model that's 129-10 on top-rated MLB picks, and find out.
