Cardinals vs Brewers Series Odds: NL Central Showdown
Brewers, Cardinals Tied Going Into Big Four-Gamer
The St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers had an MLB four-game series in Milwaukee in April. They split it 2-2. They had a four-game series in St. Louis in May. They split it 2-2. They are tied atop the National League Central. Do you sense a theme? Here we go again, and this Cardinals vs Brewers series odds is going to matter.
Yes, these are two evenly matched teams on target to battle it out until the bitter end for division supremacy. If you are eager to place your bets on the biggest games of the day, then watch for the Cardinals vs Brewers series odds this week.
Opening Game Information
- Game: Cardinals (38-30) at Brewers (38-30)
- Location: American Family Field
- Day/Time: Monday, 8:10 p.m. ET
- Television: BSMW, BSWI, FS1
Cardinals vs Brewers Probable Starting Pitchers
- Monday: Miles Mikolas (Cardinals) vs Corbin Burns (Brewers)
- Tuesday: Jack Flaherty (Cardinals) vs Aaron Ashby (Brewers)
- Wednesday: Adam Wainwright (Cardinals) vs Eric Lauer (Brewers)
- Thursday: Dakota Hudson (Cardinals) vs Jason Alexander (Brewers)
Cardinals Continuing Challenging Road Trip
The St. Louis Cardinals’ schedule had them visit Fenway Park over the weekend for a battle of heavyweights, and things don’t get much easier with the visit to Milwaukee. The Cardinals dropped two of three at Boston, losing a pair of nail-biters and winning 11-2 on Saturday.
St. Louis hit .284 with 14 extra-base hits and 14 walks in the three-game set and it is batting .297 with 14 homers over an eight-game stretch. The Cardinals’ offense is third in the NL in average (.256), on-base percentage (.325), and runs scored (331).
It will be a challenge keeping that run going in the opener against reigning Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, who spun seven scoreless innings while striking out 11 in a win over St. Louis on May 29.
There’s an intriguing mound MLB matchup in the second game of the set Tuesday night, as Jack Flaherty makes his second start for the Cardinals since returning from a shoulder baseball injury that kept him out of the first 2½ months. He has struggled in his career against the Brewers (3-6, 4.96 ERA).
Brewers Righted Ship in Cincinnati
After losing 10 of 12 games and four straight series, the Brewers were able to regain their footing in three contests at last-place Cincinnati this weekend. They slugged seven homers in the sweep, their first since also taking three in a row against the Reds in the first week of May.
Burnes stumbled a bit in two starts after his recent dominant outing against the Cardinals, but he looked sharp at Citi Field his last time out, holding the New York Mets to two runs in six innings of a 10-2 win.
Milwaukee’s power display over the weekend left the club with 88 homers, second only to Atlanta in the NL. And that comes after the Brewers opened this month with only two home runs in their first seven games.
The sweep came at a perfect time, with the Cardinals coming to town followed by a visit from the power-packed Toronto Blue Jays.
“Look, we had a tough start to this trip and finished it really strong,” manager Craig Counsell said. “I like that. We’re banged up still, especially on the pitching staff. It looks like we’ve got some guys coming back so that’s good, but the schedule is the schedule. It’s always difficult. We’ve got a difficult homestand with two good baseball teams. There are no breaks in the schedule. It always challenges you.”
Indeed, after the homestand comes two games at Tampa Bay, making for a stretch in which the featured matchups in baseball will always include a Milwaukee Brewers game.
Who’s Hot
- Nolan Arenado, Cardinals 3B: Two homers, two singles, two walks in the series at Boston.
- Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals LF: 6-for-8 with a home run over the last two games.
- Hunter Renfroe, Brewers RF: Homered in all three games at Cincinnati while driving in six runs.
- Devin Williams, Brewers RP: No runs allowed in his last 15 IP.
Who’s Not
- Brendan Donovan, Cardinals IF: 0-for-10, five strikeouts over last two games.
- Drew VerHagen, Cardinals RP: 8 ER allowed in 5⅓ innings over last five appearances.
- Luis Urias, Brewers IF: Batting .149 with 18 strikeouts in June.
- Willy Adames, Brewers SS: 9-for-47 (.191) with one walk and 13 strikeouts since return from a sprained ankle.
Injury Updates
- Cardinals OF Tyler O’Neill left Sunday’s game with hamstring tightness.
- Cardinals C Yadier Molina (knee) was placed on the IL prior to the series in Boston.
- Cardinals RHP Jordan Hicks (forearm) is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon.
- Ashby has forearm tightness and his scheduled start opposite Flaherty on Tuesday is uncertain.
- Brewers 2B Kolten Wong (calf) had a recent setback and will not return Monday, as had been hoped.
Cardinals vs Brewers Series Odds Betting Tips
Keep an eye on the O’Neill situation. He has been a big part of the St. Louis offensive success of late, hitting .354 in June. Without him, it’s a leaner crew stepping in against Burnes in the opener and a great time to side with the hosts when glancing at the Cardinals vs Brewers series odds.
There are uncertainties Tuesday with Flaherty making just his second start since returning and Ashby’s status up in the air. It would be prudent to see how the bullpens get utilized in that one before exploring your bets for the last two games of the set.
One thing is for certain. These teams are the class of the division and there isn’t much – if any – separation between them. Expect a riveting series near the shores of Lake Michigan.
