The St. Louis Cardinals (57-54) and the Chicago Cubs (54-59) collide on Sunday Night Baseball in an NL Central battle. After dropping the first two games, St. Louis bounced back on Saturday. The Cardinals knocked off the Cubs 5-4. Miles Mikolas (8-8, 4.99 ERA) is starting for the Cardinals. Justin Steele (2-5, 3.38 ERA) is on the mound for the Cubs.
The first pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET. Chicago is listed at -148 on the money line (risk $148 to win $100) in the latest Cardinals vs. Cubs odds. The over/under for total runs scored is 9. Before making any Cubs vs. Cardinals picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It entered Week 19 of the 2024 MLB season 55-48 on all-top rated MLB picks this season. Dating back to last season, it is on a 24-11 roll on top-rated run-line picks (+877). Anybody following has seen strong returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Cubs vs. Cardinals and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several MLB odds and betting lines for Cardinals vs. Cubs:
- Cardinals vs. Cubs money line: Cubs -149, Cardinals +126
- Cardinals vs. Cubs run line: Cubs -1.5 (+139)
- Cardinals vs. Cubs over/under: 9 runs
- CHC: The Cubs have hit the team total Under in 25 of their last 38 games at home
- STL: The Cardinals have covered the run line in nine of their last 11 away games
- Cardinals vs. Cubs picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back the Cubs
Center fielder Cody Bellinger has been an athletic difference-maker for the Cubs. At the plate, Bellinger has good plate coverage and owns the footwork to stay balanced when hitting. The 29-year-old also has impressive range as a defender. He’s hitting .276 with 11 home runs and 42 RBI. On Thursday against St. Louis, he went 2-of-4 with a double and a solo homer.
Left fielder Ian Happ provides Chicago with a switch hitter who is a reliable run producer. The 29-year-old hits .228 with 17 home runs and a team-high 62 RBI. On July 31 against the Cincinnati Reds, Happ was 3-of-4 with a double, a homer and two RBI. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back the Cardinals
Right fielder Alec Burleson generates plenty of contact and power at the plate. The 25-year-old has a .278 batting average with 19 home runs and 64 RBI. In the July 31 win over the Rangers, Burleson was 1-of-4 with a base hit and two RBI.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado has great hand-eye coordination as both a hitter and defender. Arenado uses his quick hands to turn on pitches in a flash and he owns a strong throwing arm from the corner. The eight-time All-Star is hitting .266 with 11 home runs, 48 RBI and a .705 OBP. On Thursday, Arenado was 2-of-4 with two singles and one RBI. See which team to pick here.
