GAME:  #969 Cardinals @ #970 Cubs
DATE:    9/4/2020 – 8:15 pm EST
ODDS:   Cardinals +133 / Cubs -144
O/U:       8

The Chicago Cubs (22-15) host the National League Central rival, the St. Louis Cardinals (14-14) at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.  The Cubs just completed a series against the Pirates winning 2 of 3 and the Cardinals completed a series against the Reds winning 2 of 3 as well. These teams played each other 5 times in 3 days including 2 doubleheaders in August when the Cubs took 3 of 5. 

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

The Cardinals have their right-handed ace, Jack Flaherty, on the bump for the first game of this series. Flaherty is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP. Flaherty has pitched in 18.2 innings and has given up 11 hits, 4 runs, 2 home runs, 4 walks, and has had 17 strikeouts. The Cardinals as a team have a career .250 batting average against Yu Darvish with Wong hitting .500, Carpenter hitting .364, Goldschmidt hitting .364, and Edman has a .400. The Cardinals have hit right-handed pitching at a .298 in their last 5 games.  

CHICAGO CUBS

The Cubs have righty Yu Darvish getting the start against the Cards. Darvish is 6-1 with a 1.47 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Darvish has pitched in 43 innings and has given up 35 hits, 7 runs, 2 home runs, 8 walks, and has had 52 strikeouts. The Cubs have a terrible .172 career batting average against the Cardinals, Flaherty with Rizzo’s .474, and 3 home runs leading the team. 

BATTER VS PITCHER  (dailybaseballdata.com)

TRENDS (covers.com) 

CARDINALS

• Over is 4-0-1 in the Cardinals last 5 during game 1 of a series.
• Under is 5-0 in Flaherty’s last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.

CUBS

• Over is 4-0 in Cubs last 4 during game 1 of a series.
• The Cubs are 4-0 in Darvish’s last 4 starts as a home favorite.
• The Cubs are 6-0 in Darvish’s last 6 starts as a favorite.

HEAD TO HEAD

• The Cardinals are 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in Chicago.
• Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
• Over is 15-7-1 in the last 23 meetings in Chicago.

CARDINALS VS CUBS PREDICTION

The Cubs and the Cardinals come into this game hot winning 3 out of their last 4 games. The Cardinals scored 33 runs in that span while the Cubs scored 28 runs. The Cubs have struggled against Flaherty in the past while several Cardinals players have had their way with Darvish. The Cubs hit right-handed pitching well but the Cardinals have been pounding right-handed pitchers. The Cardinals appear to be playing better baseball right now so The Bookie is rolling with St. Louis while the public is on the Cubs and the sharps are leaning to the Cardinals. 

The Bookie:         Cardinals +133
Fade the Public:  Cardinals
Sharp Action:      Cardinals

3 Units to win 3.99 Units on:  (#969) Cardinals +133