Houston Astros vs
St. Louis CardinalsPredictions & Preview

Astros set to face Cardinals in interleague showdown at Busch Stadium: Valdez vs. Gray pitching matchup promises competitive battle

The Houston Astros are set to face off against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in an interleague showdown on Monday night. Last season, the Astros won two out of three games against the Cardinals in Houston, with their most recent matchup at Busch Stadium resulting in a dominant 14-0 victory for the Astros. The Astros are slight -118 moneyline favorites with a total of 7.0 runs for this game. Framber Valdez will be starting for the Astros, while Sonny Gray will take the mound for the Cardinals. Despite opening as favorites, the betting line hasn't moved. Stay tuned for more updates and check out all of our MLB picks for Monday's 10-game card.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Astros -120 | Cardinals +109
• Spread: Astros -1.5 (+152) | Cardinals +1.5 (-184)
• Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Houston will win straight-up is 55%.

Houston vs St. Louis Stats

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros faced off against the Los Angeles Angels in a three-game series at Daikin Park. The Astros won the opener 14-3, but the Angels responded with a 4-1 victory in the second game. Houston has struggled to win consecutive games this season, with a disappointing offensive performance so far. Their pitching staff, however, has been more solid, with Framber Valdez expected to start the next game with an impressive 2.50 ERA. Overall, Houston is ranked 16th in power rankings with a 6-8 record for the season.

St. Louis Cardinals Analysis

The St. Louis Cardinals recently hosted the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game series at Busch Stadium. After blanking the Phillies 2-0 in the opener, the Cardinals suffered a 4-1 defeat in the middle game, resulting in a tiebreaker game. Despite starting the season strong with a sweep over Minnesota, the Cardinals have faced struggles with a .278/.351/.422 slash line in their first 14 games, along with a 4.79 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. The bullpen has also posted a 4.58 ERA and 3.02 FIP. Sonny Gray is set to start the next game, with a 2-0 record, 4.50 ERA, and 0.87 WHIP in three starts this season. The Cardinals have a power ranking of 7, ranking #3 for offense and #28 for defense, with an overall record of 6-8. In their most recent matchups, the Cardinals went 1-2 against Houston.

Cardinals vs. Astros Pitching Matchup: Valdez vs. Gray Set to Deliver Competitive Battle

Framber Valdez faced the Cardinals once in 2023, surrendering four earned runs over six innings at Busch Stadium. Among current St. Louis players, only five have prior experience against Valdez, totaling five hits, including two doubles, and one RBI in 16 at-bats. Sonny Gray boasts a 4-4 record with a 3.03 ERA in 12 career starts against the Astros, allowing four earned runs in 13 innings across two meetings in 2023. The current Astros lineup holds a 20-for-81 record with five doubles against Gray. In April, the Cardinals have displayed strong performance against left-handed pitchers with a .262/.372/.379 triple-slash and a 120 wRC+, while the Astros have posted a .250/.325/.367 slash line with a 101 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers. Both teams will send top pitchers to the mound in what promises to be a competitive matchup. Despite recent success against left-handed pitching, I predict the Cardinals will prevail due to their offensive capabilities.

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