St. Louis Cardinals vs
Los Angeles DodgersPredictions & Preview

St. Louis Cardinals to Face Los Angeles Dodgers in Season Opener with Mikolas on the Mound

The St. Louis Cardinals will begin their season on Thursday with an away game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 4:10 p.m. ET. Miles Mikolas, with an ERA of 0, will be the starting pitcher for the Cardinals, while Tyler Glasnow, with an ERA of 3.6, will be starting for the Dodgers. The Dodgers are the betting favorite with an opening line of -224 and the current line at -225.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals +185 | Dodgers -225
• Spread: Cardinals +1.5 (+100) | Dodgers -1.5 (-115)
• Total: Over/Under 8.75 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Los Angeles will win straight-up is 69%.

St. Louis vs Los Angeles Stats

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are entering the 2024 MLB season with low expectations, as they are currently -125 to miss the playoffs. In the off-season, they made several key acquisitions to strengthen their lineup, including signing pitchers Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson, as well as adding reliever Keynan Middleton and infielders Matt Carpenter and Brandon Crawford. Right-hander Miles Mikolas will be leading the rotation, with offensive support from players like Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Nolan Gorman. Currently ranked 28th in power rankings, the Cardinals have yet to start their season, with a projected offense and defense rating of 0.

Los Angeles Dodgers Analysis

The Los Angeles Dodgers are gearing up for their home opener after starting the 2024 season in Korea. They went 1-1 against the San Diego Padres, with right-hander Tyler Glasnow set to start in the home opener after allowing two runs on two hits in five innings against San Diego. The team has been performing well offensively, led by players like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, and Max Muncy. During the off-season, the Dodgers made impactful additions to both their offense and pitching staff, bringing in players like Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, Glasnow, and Yamamoto. Currently, the Dodgers have a power ranking of 5 and rank #1 for both offense and defense, scoring an average of 5.00 points per game and giving up an average of 2.00 points per game. The team holds an overall record of 1-1, while their upcoming opponent, the St. Louis Cardinals, went 1-2 in their last three matchups against the Dodgers.

Dodgers Look to Continue Winning Streak Against Uncertain Cardinals Offense

The Los Angeles team has already completed two regular season games, making this Tyler Glasnow's second start of the season, giving them an advantage. Glasnow performed well in his Dodgers debut and is likely to excel against the Cardinals offense, which has some uncertainties. In contrast, Mikolas had a subpar season in 2023, making it probable that the Dodgers offense at home will capitalize on his weaknesses to secure a victory. Therefore, I recommend taking the Dodgers -1.5 at -118 in this matchup.

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