The St. Louis Cardinals have long been in control of the National League Central, but the Chicago Cubs are in the process of taking over that role in 2016. The Cubs knocked the Cardinals out of the postseason a season ago and now lead the division by a sizable amount as the season comes down the home stretch. Chicago will aim to take another step closer to clinching the N.L. Central when it faces St. Louis on Thursday, August 11th, 2016, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs are sending one of their best pitchers to the mound and will likely be favored in MLB gambling.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cubs are 69-41 on the season, the best record in the major leagues, and comfortably ahead of the Pirates and Cardinals in the NL Central. Chicago’s goal is to finish with the top record so it can claim home field advantage in the postseason.
The Cardinals have a record of 59-53 are in a battle to clinch one of the wild card spots. They are currently on the outside looking in but within striking distance of both the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers. St. Louis has a strong plus-72 run-differential, which means they shouldn’t fade down the stretch.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
The Cubs will send star left-hander Jon Lester to the mound. He is 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA and averages 8.84 strikeouts per nine innings. Lester has long been one of the better pitchers in the major leagues, and even against a formidable offense has the capability to throw a gem.
The Cardinals are scheduled to send Carlos Martinez to the hill. He is 10-7 with a 3.29 ERA. Martinez is not the same elite strikeout pitcher, which means he’s not as formidable on the mound, but there is no arguing with the results thus far.
LIVE BETTING
The Cubs and Cardinals will trot out lineups that are among the best in the major leagues. Chicago is led by first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who is batting .286 with 24 home runs, 80 RBIs and a .962 OPS. Kris Bryant has become a big-time hitter next to Rizzo, batting .285 with 27 homers and 69 RBIs. Dexter Fowler has had a really nice season atop the lineup, while Ben Zobrist proved to be an astute offseason pickup. Addison Russell, Wilson Contreras and Javy Baez are a few of the key young pieces that should keep the Cubs good for years to come.
The Cardinals are led on offense by Matt Carpenter, who is hitting .294 with 14 homers, 55 RBIs and a .971 OPS. Aledmys Diaz has been a huge piece in the infield, batting .312 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs. The presence of those key bats has helped make up for Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina, who are having decent years but not the great ones they are capable of having.
QUICK PICK
This is a very good matchup between a pair of impressive offenses and two good starting pitchers. Lester has proven himself more than Martinez over many years in his career, so that track record bodes well, even against a tough lineup. The Cubs are playing very well right now and are taking aim at the best record in baseball when the regular season comes to a close. It won’t be easy, but they should be able to sneak out a win over the Cardinals in MLB gambling.
MLB Odds: Cubs 4, Cardinals 3
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