St. Louis Cardinals vs
New York MetsPredictions & Preview

New York Mets Favored Over St. Louis Cardinals in Weekend Series Opener at Citi Field

The St. Louis Cardinals will look to build on their recent win as they face the New York Mets in the first game of their weekend series at Citi Field on Friday night. Miles Mikolas will start for the Cardinals and will be up against Jose Butto of the Mets. New York has the betting edge as the favorite, with the line opening at -126.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals +113 | Mets -126
• Spread: Cardinals +1.5 (-190) | Mets -1.5 (+165)
• Total: Over/Under 8 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that New York will win straight-up is 56%.

St. Louis vs New York Stats

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals bounced back from a series loss to the Brewers with a series win over the Diamondbacks, winning two out of three games. They will look to continue their momentum with a win over the Mets for their second straight victory. Despite leading in batting average, Masyn Winn leads the team with a .313 average, while Nolan Gorman leads with four home runs and 12 RBI. The Cardinals' pitching has struggled, giving up an average of 4.04 runs per game, with Mikolas needing to improve after a tough outing against Milwaukee. The team is ranked 27th in offense, 23rd in defense, and has a record of 11-14 this season.

New York Mets Analysis

The New York Mets recently ended a three-game losing streak with a win over the Giants, finishing their road trip with a 3-3 record. They have won their last four home games and will aim to continue their winning streak against the upcoming series. Currently averaging 4.71 runs per game, the team's batting average is .246, ranking 12th in the league. Starling Marte leads the team with a .290 batting average, while Pete Alonso leads in home runs and Brandon Nimmo in RBI. On the pitching side, the Mets are giving up 3.50 runs per game, with opponents having a .224 batting average against them. In their last matchup, Butto played a key role in the team's 6-4 win. The Mets have a power ranking of 13 and rank #12 in offense and #16 in defense, with an overall record of 13-11. They will face St. Louis, who won 2 out of their last three matchups.

Mets Riding High on Home Victories; Favorable Matchup Against Struggling Cardinals on the Horizon

The New York Mets are on a winning streak, securing victories in their last four home games while demonstrating strong offensive capabilities by scoring a total of 20 runs. They are expected to maintain this momentum in the upcoming game, particularly against right-handed pitchers like Mikolas of the Cardinals, who has been struggling on the mound, allowing 12 runs in his last three starts. Additionally, Mikolas has previously given up 16 runs in his last three games against the Mets, indicating challenges ahead for him in containing their offense. On the other hand, the Cardinals have experienced setbacks in their recent road games, recording losses in three out of their last five matches and struggling to score, with only nine runs in their last four road games. Furthermore, their performance may continue to falter as they face Butto of the Mets, who has performed well by only allowing three runs in his last three starts, including conceding just one run in two home games. Considering the Mets' strong bullpen ranking and the Cardinals' offensive struggles against right-handers, it is advisable to favor New York in covering the money line for this game.

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