Entering Monday night’s series opener, the NL Central rival Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals sported identical 46-47 records. The season has slowly gotten away from both clubs with the Milwaukee Brewers starting to run away from the pack after going into Cincinnati and busting out the brooms to put the Reds further in their rearview mirror. With the Cubs already making it crystal clear that they’ll be sellers come the trade deadline and the Redbirds simply just lacking in the talent department to compete for the division pennant, this series will be all about pride as neither is going anywhere this season. Chicago has owned the season rivalry in taking six of the eight played matchups at online sportsbooks. One of the reasons why is because of Kyle Hendricks who’s won all three of his starts against St. Louis to date. That’s a trend Adam Wainwright – a notorious Cubs dominator – will attempt to end this evening in his 44th career start against the North Siders.
First pitch for the division rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals is scheduled for Wednesday, July 21, 2021, at 8 p.m. ET from Busch Stadium. The matchup will air live on ESPN. Bet on MLB odds and player props at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
MLB Betting Lines at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
Each of these squads has cost MLB bettors money. Chicago hasn’t been as unkind to bankrolls in dropping $177 overall, but it’s racked up over $900 in losses on the road where the team sits 11 games under .500 even after taking two of three from the D’backs in Arizona over the weekend. St. Louis has been an even larger money burner costing its wagering supporters over $400 overall. However, The Cardinals have been a winning investment at home where they’ve made $46 overall in winning 25 of 44 played games. Both teams have also made some cash for under bettors with the Cubs cashing low scorers at a 51-37 clip and the Cardinals 45-42 to the low side of the total. Naturally, the O/U has split in the rival’s eight skirmishes.
Probable Pitchers
Kyle Hendricks: The crafty right-hander got out to a slow start to his 2021 campaign in going 2-4 and allowing 48 hits and 24 ER through his first 37.2 innings of work. Since then, Hendricks has been one of the more dependable arms in the league. He’s allowed more than 3 ER only once in his last 12 starts to enter No. 20 with a rock solid 12-4 record and 3.65 ERA. A whopping 74 percent of his starts have been of quality including all three against the Cardinals whom he’s limited to just 17 hits and 5 ER over 19 total innings of work. He logged yet another win at Busch Stadium back on May 21 after tossing 6.2 innings of 1 ER ball in the Cubs 12-3 win to move to 5-1 in the venue lifetime with a 2.73 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over nine starts.
Adam Wainwright: Though not as dominant as he once was, Waino continues to get the job done as a fixture within a less than impressive Cardinals starting rotation. He’ll enter start No. 19 the owner of a 7-6 record and 3.71 ERA by way of allowing 96 hits and 46 ER through a shade less than 112 total innings. Unlike tonight’s opponent, only 56 percent of his starts have been deemed as quality with opponents launching an average of 1.2 home runs against him per nine innings. However, the veteran right-hander has been at his best in the comforts of Busch Stadium where he’s the owner of a 2.84 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and .206 BAA; by far his best outputs of the season. He’s 17-13 with a 4.00 ERA lifetime against the Cubs through 43 overalls starts.
Cubs vs. Cardinals Prediction
This has all the makings of a fantastic pitcher’s duel with “The Professor” looking to remain in a groove and Wainwright out to avenge a tough no-decision against the Cubs after tossing eight shutout innings of ball at them at home back on May 23. Chicago’s offense was much more cohesive back then than it is now, and the Cardinals’ attack continues to be one of the main reasons why it won’t be a playoff qualifier for the fourth time in the last six seasons. I expect both pitchers to bring their “A” game to the ball park which has me excited to invest in yet another low scorer between these staff aces. Should both squads have their better arms available, I’ll attack the under both from F5 and FG perspectives. If not, I’ll invest in the first five inning total only. Hopefully an under ump nestles in behind the dish and we cruise to a pair of sweat free ticket cashes!
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