Cubs vs. Cardinals Prediction
Will the Cardinals upset the defending World Series champion Cubs tonight when the two teams open their seasons at 8:35PM ET?
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Cubs are -125 money line favorites over the Cardinals, who have odds of +115 odds to pull off the upset at home tonight. The total, meanwhile, sits at 7.5 runs.
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CHICAGO KEY TRENDS: The Cubs 14-3 in Jon Lester’s last 17 starts during Game 1 of a series and 20-8 in his last 28 starts against the rest of the division. They’re also 35-16 in Lester’s last 51 starts and are 5-1 in their last six road games. They’re also 46-15 in their last 62 games versus a right-handed starter.
ST. LOUIS KEY TRENDS: The Cardinals have won seven of Martinez’s last nine starts, are 4-1 in his last five starts during Game 1 of a series and are 20-9 in his last 29 starts against the rest of the division. The Cards are also 4-0 in their last four home games.
Bet Tonight’s Cardinals vs. Cubs Game
OUR PICK: Martinez was sensational this spring, posting a 1.38 ERA across three starts and a 1.13 ERA over two World Baseball Classic outings. After Adam Wainwright served in the role for several seasons, Martinez is now the unquestioned ace of the staff. While the Cubs are the defending champs and are favored again to win this season’s title, the Cards had one of the best spring trainings of any team in baseball and are getting plus odds with their ace on the hill. They’re worth a roll of the dice.
SUNDAY MLB FREE PICK: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS +115