Lopez and Sale Look To Lead Braves Past the Cardinals
Braves vs Cardinals Betting Odds Favor Visiting Atlanta in Opener
Are More Slugfests Coming in the Series Between the Braves and the Cardinals?
The St. Louis Cardinals are starting to make some noise in the National League with a three-game sweep against the San Francisco Giants giving the Cardinals eight wins over the last 11 games. Will that continue against an Atlanta team that won three series in a row? The Braves vs Cardinals betting odds have the visiting Braves favored in the series opener.
Atlanta won four of the six games against the Cardinals during the 2023 season with four of those matchups landing over the total. The last time the Braves played in St. Louis, Atlanta swept the three-game series. Atlanta’s pitchers only allowed seven runs in those three games
- The best MLB bets today list Atlanta at -120 to win Monday’s series opener. It would be just the third time in the last 14 games between the Cardinals and the Braves that the visiting team is covered. The Braves come in at +135 to cover -1.5 on the run line. St. Louis has +105 odds to win the series opener.
- Atlanta is tied for fourth at +900 in the World Series odds. St. Louis is 17th at +6500 in the championship odds.
Braves vs Cardinals Series Preview 
⚾ Matchup: Atlanta Braves 43-32 at St. Louis Cardinals 39-37
📅 Date/Time: Monday-Wednesday, 7:45 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
📺 TV & Live Stream: Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Midwest, MLB Network (outside of Atlanta and St. Louis markets.)
Braves vs Cardinals Probable Starting Pitchers
- Monday: Spencer Schwellenbach (Braves); Lance Lynn (Cardinals)
- Tuesday: Reynaldo Lopez (Braves); Kyle Gibson (Cardinals)
- Wednesday: Chris Sale (Braves); Andre Pallante (Cardinals)
Braves Ready to Pitch In
It would be in the best interest for the St. Louis hitters to get to work against rookie Spencer Schwellenbach in the series opener with Reynaldo Lopez, who leads all qualified pitchers in ERA, set to start in the second game and Chris Sale, who is tied for the MLB lead with 10 wins, the probable starter for Atlanta in the series final. That needs to be considered for the Braves vs Cardinals betting odds.
Lopez pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts the last time he faced the Cardinals. In Sale’s lone start versus the Cardinals last season, he allowed three hits and one run with nine strikeouts in eight innings.
Lynn has faced the Braves just twice in the last eight seasons and both happened last season when he allowed 13 hits, five home runs, and 11 runs in 9.2 innings. Gibson surrendered seven hits and five runs in five innings.
When considering the MLB expert picks, remember that four of Atlanta’s last six games went under the total.
Can the Braves Ground the Cardinals?
Atlanta began the season by winning eight of its first 11 games on the road. However, the Braves went 8-15 over their next 23 road games.
The Braves have figured things out in recent weeks and head into this series 19-19 on the road so Atlanta can move over .500 on the road.
Atlanta ranks in the top 10 of the majors with 44 home runs on the road. It might not be easy for the Braves to add to that home run total as the Braves are the only other team in the majors who have allowed fewer home runs at home this season. Keep that in mind for the Braves vs Cardinals betting odds.
The Braves’ Marcell Ozuna is tied for fourth in the majors with 10 home runs on the road.
Five of the last six games for the Cardinals went over the total.
Who’s Hot
- Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals OF: Burleson is 9-for-21 with nine runs, three home runs, and eight RBIs in his last five games.
- Jared Kelenic, Atlanta Braves OF: Kelenic is 14-for-41 with six runs and six RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak.
- Kyle Leahy, St. Louis Cardinals P: Leahy has given up two hits and no runs with five strikeouts in five innings in his last five games.
- Reynaldo Lopez, Atlanta Braves P: Lopez has allowed nine hits and no runs with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings over his last two starts.
Who’s Not
- Orlando Arcia, Atlanta Braves SS: Arcia is 2-for-27 with nine strikeouts in his last eight games.
- Aaron Bummer, Atlanta Braves P: Bummer has allowed six hits and three runs in 4.1 innings over his last five games.
- Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals 2B: Gorman is 2-for-41 with 21 strikeouts over his last 11 games.
- Andre Pallante, St. Louis Cardinals P: Pallante has surrendered 21 hits and 13 runs with 16 strikeouts over 16.2 innings in his last four games.
Braves vs Cardinals Injury Update
Pitchers A.J. Minter, Jimmy Herget, and Hurston Waldrep join outfielder Michael Harris II on the injured list for the Braves.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado and outfielder Michael Siani are questionable for the Cardinals while catcher Willson Contreras could be returning for the Cardinals, perhaps as early as this series.
Tonight on Inside Baseball, @katiejwoo tells @KMOV that we could see #stlcards catcher Willson Contreras back in the clubhouse as early as tomorrow.
The initial hope was to see him back before the All-Star break.
Watch Inside Baseball Sundays on 4. pic.twitter.com/UTJE1hFAxv
— Tamar Sher (@tamar_sher) June 24, 2024
Braves vs Cardinals Betting Preview
With Atlanta favored in the series opener, the Braves have been the favorites in four of their last eight games in St. Louis.
When looking at the MLB playoff bracket, the Braves and the Cardinals would hold down wild-card spots in the National League if the postseason began today.
The last time the Braves and the Cardinals met, all three games went over the total with 46 runs scored.
Atlanta is just 3-6 in its last nine road games. The Braves are just 16-15 against the run line as the road favorite this season while St. Louis has covered in 11 of the 12 games as the home underdog.
Four of the last five games for the Cardinals against National League teams went over the total. The total is currently at 8.5 for the series opener.
There is no chance of rain in the forecast for the series opener.
For Atlanta, 38 of its 43 wins have come as a favorite while just 14 of Atlanta’s 38 road games went under the total.
For MLB picks, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
