Adam Wainwright will get the start for the Cardinals (56-75, 28-37 home) as they host the Padres (61-70, 26-37 away) at Busch Stadium. The Padres will give the starting nod to Blake Snell. Check out my prediction for game one of this National League matchup between the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals.

SAN DIEGO PADRES VS ST. LOUIS CARDINALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: St. Louis Cardinals +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Busch Stadium at 7:45 ET on Monday, August 28th.

WHY BET THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS:

  • The Padres have gone just 1-2 in their last three games vs. the runline.
  • In their five most recent games as the favorite, the Padres have gone just 2-3 against the runline.
  • In Blake Snell’s 26 starts, the Padres have a record of just 12-14.

SAN DIEGO PADRES SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

With an overall record of 61-70, the Padres are 4th in the NL West. When playing at home, they are 35-33 and 26-37. So far, San Diego has a record of 22-22 against below .500 teams and have played in 42 series, going 17-20-5.

Blake Snell has been a force to be reckoned with in his 26 appearances this season, boasting an impressive 10-9 record. The southpaw has gone at least six innings in three consecutive games and his ERA of 2.73 is accompanied by a WHIP of 1.27. His K/BB ratio stands at 184/80 while opponents have mustered up a meager .189 batting average against him, along with a slugging percentage allowed of .309.

The Padres are hoping for a repeat performance from Blake Snell, who had a quality start in his last outing. Despite Snell’s six-inning effort that yielded only three runs, the Marlins still managed to defeat San Diego 3-0.

The Padres have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 14 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 8th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 10th in home runs and 17th in slugging percentage. Overall, San Diego is averaging 4.5 runs per game (14th).

Manny Machado has been a major contributor to the Padres’ offense this season, leading the team with 25 home runs over their last ten games. His overall batting average stands at .250, with four of those long balls coming in that span.

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

The Cardinals take on the Padres with the hopes of snapping their three game losing streak. This recent skid has their record sitting at 56-75, putting them 5th in the NL Central. When looking at their overall series numbers, they have gone 15-21-5. At home, they are 28-37 and 28-38.

Adam Wainwright will take the mound for the Cardinals with a 3-9 record in 17 appearances this season. His ERA is 8.61, K/9 is 5.12, FIP is 6.02 and OBP is .407.

The veteran pitcher has had a tough start to the 2023 season, with his ERA now standing at 6.75.

Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals were dealt a loss in their most recent game against the Pirates, as the veteran pitcher allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Over their last five games, the Cardinals are ranked 19th in the league in scoring at 2.4 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.5 per contest puts them 14th in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, St. Louis is 6th, with an OBP currently sitting at .329. The team’s collective batting average is .254 (9th).

The Cardinals’ offensive leader, Paul Goldschmidt, has been a force to be reckoned with this season. He currently leads the team in hits and boasts a batting average of .276. Goldschmidt’s slugging percentage stands at .455 and his on-base percentage is an impressive .364.