The Cubs (50-51, 23-25 away) travel to take on the Cardinals (46-57, 22-26 home) in game one of this NL Central matchup. Justin Steele is getting the start for the Cubs while Miles Mikolas is starting for the Cardinals. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals showdown at Busch Stadium.

CHICAGO CUBS VS ST. LOUIS CARDINALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs -1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Busch Stadium at 7:45 ET on Thursday, July 27th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • As the favorite, the Cubs have covered the runline in two straight games.
  • The Cardinals have struggled against the runline when favored of late, failing to cover in two straight times.
  • In Justin Steele’s three most recent starts, the Cubs are 2-1.

CHICAGO CUBS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

On a record of 50-51, the Cubs come into today’s game 3rd in the NL Central. When playing at home, they are 27-26 and 23-25 on the road. Chicago has played in 31 series thus far, and have gone 15-13-3.

Justin Steele has been a force to be reckoned with this season, boasting an impressive 10-3 record and 2.95 ERA across 18 appearances. He has 96 strikeouts on the year, averaging 8.33 per nine innings, and his WHIP stands at 1.11. On the road, he is 3-1 with an ERA of 2.94, while at home he is 7-2 with a 3.18 ERA.

Justin Steele earned the victory in his latest start, surrendering two earned runs and six hits over 6 1/3 frames against St. Louis. The Cubs emerged victorious with a 4-3 scoreline to cap off the contest.

The Cubs have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 15 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 5th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 16th in home runs and 14th in slugging percentage. Overall, Chicago is averaging 4.9 runs per game (9th).

Nico Hoerner has been a consistent presence for the Cubs’ offense this season, boasting a .280 batting average and .397 slugging percentage. In the team’s last ten games, Hoerner has been particularly impressive, leading Chicago with hits and hitting an impressive .352.

WILL THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

St. Louis heads into today’s game ranked 4th in the NL Central on an overall record of 46-57. The Cardinals have won three straight series at home and have an overall home record of 22-26. Against the runline, their overall record is 52-51, including going 21-27 vs. the runline at home. When looking at their over/under mark, the Cardinals are 53-47.

St. Louis Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas has a 6-5 record and an ERA of 4.33 this season. On the road, his ERA is 4.11, but it rises to 5.27 when he pitches at Busch Stadium. His WHIP is 1.31 and opposing teams are hitting .277 against him with a slugging percentage of .413.

Miles Mikolas was unable to secure a victory in his last start against the Cubs, ending with a no-decision. He yielded five runs on 11 hits across five innings, but the Cardinals ultimately fell 8-6.

For the season, the Cardinals’ offense is averaging 4.8 runs per game. Over their last ten games they have swung the bats well, sitting 7th in the league in scoring, with a total of 57 runs. Overall, St. Louis’ team batting average is .258, putting them 6th in the MLB.

Nolan Gorman has been a major contributor to the Cardinals’ offensive success in 2023, leading the team with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. His slugging percentage of .503 is also a testament to his impressive performance this season.