Astros at Cards Free Pick 6/28/23
Date: Wednesday, June 28th, 7:45 ET
Location: Busch Stadium
TV: MLBN
Money Line: Astros -101/Cardinals -118
Total Line: 9
Betting Preview
Here’s our betting preview for the upcoming MLB clash between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Astros on Wednesday, June 28th at Busch Stadium. We provide you with a comprehensive analysis, odds, and predictions to help with your handicapping decision or tail our expert based on the projected lineups and listed starting pitchers.
Betting Odds
| ML | RL | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | -101 | -1.5 | O 9 (-103) |
| STL | -118 | +1.5 | U 9 (-118) |
Astros vs. Cardinals Projected Lineup
| Batting Order | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Jose Altuve | 1 | 2B |
| Alex Bregman | 2 | 3B |
| Kyle Tucker | 3 | RF |
| José Abreu | 4 | 1B |
| Yainer Diaz | 5 | C |
| Corey Julks | 6 | LF |
| Jeremy Peña | 7 | SS |
| Jake Meyers | 8 | CF |
| Martín Maldonado | 9 | C |
| Cristian Javier | – | RP |
| Batting Order | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Brendan Donovan | 1 | 2B |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 2 | 1B |
| Lars Nootbaar | 3 | RF |
| Nolan Arenado | 4 | 3B |
| Willson Contreras | 5 | C |
| Nolan Gorman | 6 | 2B |
| Jordan Walker | 7 | RF |
| Paul DeJong | 8 | SS |
| Tommy Edman | 9 | SS |
| Miles Mikolas | – | SP |
Straight Up/Over-Under/ Runline Record
Houston Astros: 42-37 SU / OU 39-39 / Runline 40-39
For the season, the Astros have put together a record of 42-37, including going just 3-7 over their last ten games. In the AL West standings, they are 3rd, trailing by six games. This year, they have gone 22-19 at home and 20-18 on the road, with an overall series mark of 12-12-1.
- The Astros have covered the runline in 50.6% of their games and have an average run margin of 0.5
- The Astros have been favored in 70.9% of their games and have runline records of 18-23 and 22-16 at home and on the road, respectively
- Through 79 games, the over has hit in half of the Astros’ games at 39-39.
As they take on the Astros, the Cardinals have an overall record of 33-45 and are currently last in the NL Central. However, they have rattled off two straight wins. At home, St. Louis has a mark of 15-22 compared to 18-23 on the road. Their series record sits at 8-13-4.
- The Cardinals have covered the runline in two straight games and have a season-long run margin of -0.2.
- The Cardinals have been favored in 59.0% of their games and have runline records of 14-23 and 21-20 at home and on the road, respectively
- So far, the Cardinals have an over/under record of just 38-39.
Pitching Matchup
| Pitcher | Appearances | Started | IP | Record | ERA | WHIP | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cristian Javier | 15 | 15 | 83 | 7-1 | 3.25 | 1.12 | 9 |
Starter Cristian Javier comes in with an overall record of 7-1 for the Astros. Having made 15 appearances, his ERA is 3.25 and he has a K/9 figure of 0.9. Additionally, he has a FIP of 3.76 and an OBP of .275.
Cristian Javier’s previous start was a bit of a struggle, as he gave up four runs on four hits in just 2 1/3 innings of work. Despite this, Javier managed to avoid a loss in the Astros’ 10-8 victory over the Mets.
| Pitcher | Appearances | Started | IP | Record | ERA | WHIP | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Mikolas | 16 | 16 | 93 | 4-5 | 4.23 | 1.36 | 10 |
In today’s game, St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas will look to do a better job keeping the ball in the ballpark as he has given up a home run in two straight appearances. Overall, he has put together a record of 4-5 and ERA of 4.23. In total, he has racked up 66 strikeouts and has a K/9 figure of 6.34. In terms of walks, he has issued an average of 1.83 per innings.
Miles Mikolas’ last appearance on the mound resulted in a defeat for the Cardinals against the Nationals, with him taking the loss after pitching seven innings and giving up two runs.
Astros vs. Cardinals Offense Outlook
After 79 games, the Astros are ranked 15th in the league with an average of 4.5 runs per game. Houston ranks 13th in home runs (91), while their overall batting average is .245. On the road, they have a BA of .242 and .240 at home.
Houston Astros Team Hitting Stats
| Team | Games | Runs | HR | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astros | 79 | 4.5 (15th) | 91 (13th) | .245 (16th) | .315 (16th) | .315 (16th) |
Houston Astros Top Hitters: Last Five Games
| Player | BA | H | R | HR | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Bregman | .290 | 7 | 3 | 1 | .450 |
| Kyle Tucker | .240 | 4 | 5 | 1 | .430 |
| Corey Julks | .267 | 5 | 3 | 0 | .317 |
| Mauricio Dubón | .213 | 4 | 5 | 1 | .500 |
| Chas McCormick | .229 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .479 |
The Cardinals are coming in as one of the better power-hitting lineups in the league this season, with a total of 106 home runs (6th). They are currently averaging 4.6 runs per game overall, with a collective batting average of .250. When playing on the road, the Cardinals have a slugging percentage of .402, while their slugging percentage at home is .422.
St. Louis Cardinals Top Hitters vs. Righties
| Player | BA | HR | SLG | WOBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nolan Arenado | .260 | 11 | .436 | .318 |
| Paul Goldschmidt | .267 | 12 | .483 | .367 |
| Brendan Donovan | .255 | 7 | .384 | .312 |
| Nolan Gorman | .232 | 13 | .450 | .331 |
| Willson Contreras | .209 | 5 | .332 | .277 |
St. Louis Cardinals Top Hitters: Last Five Games
| Player | BA | H | R | HR | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul DeJong | .217 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .617 |
| Dylan Carlson | .312 | 5 | 2 | 2 | .688 |
| Willson Contreras | .400 | 8 | 3 | 0 | .600 |
| Paul Goldschmidt | .187 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .187 |
| Tommy Edman | .223 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .273 |
Free MLB Pick
Take the Cardinals -114
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