MLB showdowns today: Cardinals vs. Rays and Cubs vs. Nationals in pivotal games
What's up, everyone? Hope you've had a pleasant start to your Sunday. And let's aim to make it even better with a pair of winners on the diamond, as I've got two best bets below for Sunday's MLB slate.
The Cubs treated us exceptionally well last night, covering the run line with ease in a 10-2 win. Now they head into the rubber match looking to keep that offense rolling.
They should have some help in doing so, with the wind blowing out to left-center at 15 mph. Additionally, the arms taking the bump should aid in producing runs.
Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga is coming off his worst season, one in which he was a home run liability, posting a 13.6% HR/FB rate and a 4.86 FIP.
On the other side, right-hander Jake Irvin had a 17% HR/FB rate last year, along with a 5.64 FIP.
The bats should come alive at the Friendly Confines. Expect plenty of runs and for this total to soar over.
Cubs / Nationals Over 9 (-115)
The St. Louis Cardinals are off to a 2-0 start, which may be a bit surprising considering they were / are projected to be one of the worst teams in baseball.
Both games have been high scoring, with the Cardinals edging out the Rays 9-7 on Opening Day, and then winning 6-5 in extras on Saturday.
Today's total is listed around 7.5, which does appear a tad too low, though my interests reside on the moneyline.
The southpaw Steven Matz will not only be facing his former team, but will be doing so on his first start with the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
Last team, Matz played on Cardinals before getting dealt to the Red Sox. He had a productive season, posting a 3.05 ERA, a 3.46 FIP and a 46.3% ground ball rate.
In general I expect the Cardinals offense to slow up, but even more so against a capable arm in Matz, who's looking for revenge against his former ball club.
On the other side, Dustin May will also be taking the mound for the first time with a new team. After spending his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, before getting dealt to the Red Sox in the middle of the 2025 season, he has now landed in St. Louis.
May is coming off a season in which he had a 4.96 ERA and a 4.88 FIP. He was almost walking four batters per nine innings, had a high HR/FB rate of 14.3% and a 1.42 WHIP.
I always like looking for teams facing a sweep, and trying to find good reasons to support them. Well, based on the data above, I think we've garnered enough support to warrant a play on the Rays.
Rays ML (-118) vs Cardinals
Best Bets:
- Cubs / Nationals Over 9 (-115)
- Rays ML (-118) vs Cardinals
MLB Record: 4-2 (+2.20)
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