Zack Thompson will get the start for the Cardinals (65-81, 31-40 home) as they host the Phillies (79-67, 36-36 away) at Busch Stadium. The Phillies will give the starting nod to Aaron Nola. Check out my prediction for game one of this National League matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS ST. LOUIS CARDINALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: St. Louis Cardinals +115

This game will be played at Busch Stadium at 8:15 ET on Friday, September 15th.

WHY BET THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS:

  • The last ten times the Cardinals have been the underdog, they are 6-4.
  • So far this year, the Cardinals lead the season series against the Phillies 0-3.
  • Opponents are hitting a healthy .357 against Aaron Nola in his last two starts.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL EAST

With an overall record of 79-67, the Phillies are 2nd in the NL East. When playing at home, they are 43-31 and 36-36. So far, Philadelphia has a record of 36-36 against below .500 teams and have played in 46 series, going 25-18-3.

Aaron Nola is making his 30th outing of the season with a 12-9 record. His ERA stands at 4.64, while opponents are batting .234 against him. On the road, he has gone 6-6 with a 6.20 ERA, and 6-3 at home on an ERA of 3.68. Teams have a slugging percentage of .428 when facing Nola this season.

Aaron Nola’s most recent start against the Marlins saw him surrender four runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings, though the Phillies ultimately emerged victorious with an 8-4 scoreline. Despite not earning a decision, Nola’s performance has been indicative of his season thus far.

Having gone deep 16 times in their last ten games, the Phillies are 5th in that span. At 4.9 runs per game, Philadelphia is 9th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .258 while hitting a total of 195 home runs (9th).

Kyle Schwarber is the Phillies’ home-run king in 2023, swatting 43 round-trippers and driving in 94 runs. His slugging percentage for the season is a solid .475.

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

St. Louis’ overall record currently stands at 65-81, placing them 5th in the NL Central. The Cardinals will look to extend their current series winning streak to 47 and have an overall series record of 18-23-5. At home, St. Louis is 31-40 and 34-41 on the road.

The Cardinals will turn to starter Zack Thompson, who has a 5-5 record through 22 appearances. His ERA is 4.06, and his K/9 is 10.41, with a FIP of 3.51 and an OBP of .332. So far this season, Thompson has put together an impressive stat line.

Zack Thompson notched a victory in his last outing against the Reds, surrendering three runs and five hits. The Cardinals ultimately prevailed 4-3, with Thompson’s performance proving to be the difference-maker.

Over their last five games, the Cardinals are ranked 14th in the league in scoring at 3.2 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.6 per contest puts them 16th in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, St. Louis is 7th, with an OBP currently sitting at .327. The team’s collective batting average is .253 (9th).

Richie Palacios has been a key contributor to the Cardinals’ offense over their last five games, leading the team with three home runs. He’s tallied four long balls on the season thus far, and boasts a .311 batting average.