After their game got postponed on Sunday, the St. Louis Cardinals ( 41-21, $1785 ) will look to get their season going again, putting their Major League best record up against the surprising, but sliding Minnesota Twins ( 34-28, $1230 ).
ODDS ANALYSIS
As expected, the Twins have started to fall back to earth after briefly holding on to the top spot in the AL Central.
Minnesota’s early success was a result of timely hitting and just-barely good enough pitching, but both seem to have disappeared as the team has lost seven of their last nine games and just snapped a five game skid with a narrow 4-3 victory over Texas on Sunday.
Over their last nine games, the Twinkies have scored more than two runs just three times, losing two of them by allowing 10 and 11 runs.
Sunday’s rain out aside, the Cardinals have been rolling. They did lose three of four a week ago, but that is the extent of their losing streaks this year as the team’s pitching has kept them in nearly every game and the offense has given them enough.
It seems that even as players go down to injury this team continues to improve.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Carlos Martinez was originally slated to get the start on Tuesday, but with Sunday’s rainout each pitcher will get an extra day’s rest, pushing Michael Wacha back to get the start against the Twins’ Kyle Gibson.
Wacha yielded four runs in 6 2/3 innings in his last outing, though that was in Coors Field. Still, he struck out 10 batters, while giving up nine hits in the batters’ haven.
On the season, Wacha has been the team’s ace in the absence of Adam Wainwright, going 8-2 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.078 WHIP in 77 innings over a dozen starts.
His Coors game on June 9 was just the third time all season he allowed more than two earned runs in a start and just the second time in five games he failed to complete seven innings.
Much like Wacha has led the Cards, Gibson has led the rotation for the Twins.
Gibson’s ERA has dropped from 4.47 last year to 3.24 in his first 12 games. In 75 innings, he’s pitched to a 1.240 WHIP. Overall, some of his success may be due to luck as his FIP is just 4.54.
QUOTE TO NOTE
With a number of injuries, namely to Matt Adams and Matt Holliday, the Cardinals offense is not at its peak. Last week, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny addressed that saying:
“There’s times when it comes easy, and other times when you have to figure out how to make it work. Right now, we’re just trying to figure out how to make it work.”
It is pretty impressive when you can keep things together as well as the Cards when they are just piecing things together.
LIVE/SITUATIONAL BETTING
Without Holliday or Adams, the Cardinals have to dig into their depth for offense, but fortunately for them, they have solid answers. For Adams, they have Mark Reynolds to turn to. The powerful first baseman has just four home runs this year, but is getting on base at a solid .329 clip.
In the outfield, Peter Bourjos and Randal Grichuk will see more at bats and each have an OPS+ over 100.
Despite the solid replacements, it is still up to the team’s biggest contributors to continue producing and that falls to Kolten Wong ( .818 OPS ), Jhonny Peralta ( .894 OPS ) and Matt Carpenter ( .870 OPS ). The Cards’ infield has been dominant and a key reason they are able to score enough to claim the sport’s best winning percentage.
Much like St. Louis, the Twins are also centered around a couple of players offensively, though their role players are not quite as productive.
Torii Hunter will be back for the series with the Cardinals after a short suspension. He has been this team’s fire and guiding force while having a solid season with a .752 OPS.
In addition to Hunter, Minnesota has high hopes for newly promoted rookie Byron Buxton. He was hitless in his debut, but is rated amongst the best prospects in the sport.
PROP TALK
Mark Reynolds is the only hitter to have any history against one of Tuesday’s slated starters. In just two at bats, Reynolds has a single hit—a home run—and a strike out. That is pretty typical for the slugger who has established himself as a boom or bust bat in his career.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Wacha is away from Coors Field and should return to form, meaning it is up to Gibson to battle against him pitch for pitch. Gibson has been good this year, but not that good. Look for the Twins to scratch across a run or two, but the Cards have the better chance of putting enough on the board in this matchup.
St. Louis 4, Minnesota 2
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, 2015, at 1:45 p.m. ET at Busch Stadium.
