New York Mets (55-66) vs St. Louis Cardinals (54-67)
New York Mets vs St. Louis Cardinals 8/18/2023 – After their 8-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, the New York Mets improved to 55-66 overall as they completed a three-game home series. The Mets won three of their last four matches, scoring 26 runs in that span. The Mets had 227 at-bats over the past seven days, batting .233/.342/.405 with nine doubles and 10 home homers. Three of those ten home runs were slugged by DJ Stewart, while others with multiple home runs include Brandon Nimmo, Daniel Vogelbach, and Jonathan Arauz.
After a disappointing 8-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics, the St. Louis Cardinals’ season record fell to 54-67. The Cardinals faced their second defeat in seven games, missing a chance to complete a three-game series sweep at home. Despite generating nine hits and several walks, they couldn’t convert any runs. Over the last week, the Cardinals boasted an impressive .298/.409/.520 batting line with 13 extra-base hits and eight home runs in 171 at-bats. Notably, Tommy Edman hit three home runs in his last 18 at-bats, while Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado showcased strong performances as well. For reliable insights, don’t miss out on free accurate baseball picks.
Mets vs. Cardinals Game Info
| When: | Friday, August 18, 2023 8:15 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | Busch Stadium, MO |
| TV: | Bally Sports Midwest |
| Stream: | MLB.TV |
Joey Lucchesi (1-0, ERA: 4.43) vs Zack Thompson (2-3, ERA: 3.96)
Lucchesi took the ball for 360 frames and recorded 366 strikeouts throughout his career. Lucchesi (20-24 win-loss record in his career) faced 1,516 opposing hitters in the major leagues and has a 4.18 FIP. His career WHIP is 1.272, with a 4.25 earned run average (170 earned runs allowed). He gave up 120 free passes and 338 base hits (8.5 hits per nine innings).
Friday’s start is anticipated to go to left-hander Zack Thompson, who has a 25-year-old record of 2-4 with a 3.96 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and a 34/12 K/BB ratio in 16 relief appearances (25 innings pitched) in 2023. Since the All-Star break, Thompson threw admirably, giving up five earned runs on 13 hits and three walks in 13.1 innings of work while striking out 16.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: St. Louis Cardinals -145, Total Odds: 8.5
Through 47 innings of work this month, the Cardinals’ bullpen went 1-0 with two saves, a 3.06 ERA, and a 3.41 FIP. The Mets were annihilating southpaws over the last ten days, compiling a 148 wRC+, .893 OPS, and .250 ISO over 78 plate appearances so the Cards will need a solid outing from Zack Thompson. Nothing in this series may be played. Both teams are already planning for the future, but because of the Mets’ recent poor bullpen performance, favor the Cardinals. The Cards are one game behind the Mets, and New York is seven and a half matches behind the final wild card in the National League.
New York Mets Betting Trends
The NY Mets are 4-1 SU in their last 5 matches. NY Mets are 4-2 SU in their last 6 matches against St. Louis. The NY Mets are 1-7 SU in their last 8 matches on the road. The NY Mets are 5-1 SU in their last 6 matches when playing on the road against St. Louis.
St. Louis Cardinals Betting Trends
The total went UNDER in 4 of St. Louis’ last 5 matches. The total went UNDER in 5 of St. Louis’ last 6 matches at home. The St. Louis Cardinals are 1-5 SU in their last 6 matches when playing at home against NY Mets.
New York Mets vs St. Louis Cardinals 8/18/2023 Betting Picks
The total went UNDER in 12 of NY Mets’ last 18 matches against an opponent in the National League. The total went UNDER in 11 of NY Mets’ last 16 matches against an opponent in the National League Central Division. Total went UNDER in 6 of St. Louis’ last 7 matches against an opponent in the National League. The St. Louis Cardinals are 5-1 SU in their last 6 matches against an opponent in the National League East Division. For insightful predictions, explore free sports betting picks.
Free Pick and Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals will win 6-2.