Cardinals vs Cubs Prediction, Odds & Picks (July 21)

The St. Louis Cardinals push for their seventh consecutive victory when they face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday. Only 1.5 games separate the NL Central arrivals as they both attempt to get closer to a .500 record, further highlighting the importance of this afternoon’s Cardinals vs Cubs collision.

#THATSAWINNER!!! pic.twitter.com/ExN43HIgha

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 21, 2023

The rival opened their four-game series Thursday, resulting in a decisive 7-2 victory for the Cardinals. Jordan Walker and Paul DeJong each hit home runs for St. Louis as starting pitcher Steven Matz picked up his first win of the 2023 MLB season, striking out six batters while giving up one run on three hits over five innings.

Do the Cardinals have what it takes to earn their seventh win in a row? Or will the Cubs find a way to spoil their rival’s fun in front of a raucous Windy City crowd?

Here’s a look at everything you know heading into this afternoon’s Cardinals vs Cubs clash, from the latest betting odds to a prediction with the best betting recommendation, courtesy of Betting News.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs Game Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: St. Louis Cardinals (44-53, 22-27 Away) vs. Chicago Cubs (45-51, 24-26 Home)
• Venue & Location: Wrigley Field (Chicago, Illinois)
• Date: Friday, July 21, 2023
• Game Time: 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time
• Where to Watch Cardinals vs Cubs: Apple TV+, MLB.TV

Cardinals vs Cubs Odds

Game odds as of Friday, July 21 at 8:20 a.m. ET from BetOnline. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• St. Louis Cardinals +1.5 (-180)
• Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+160)

Over/Under

• Over 8 Runs (-120)
• Under 8 Runs (+100)

Moneyline

• St. Louis Cardinals +116
• Chicago Cubs -126

Cardinals vs Cubs Starting Pitchers

• Cardinals: Jack Flaherty (18 starts —7-5, 4.29 ERA)
• Cubs: Justin Steele (17 starts —9-3, 2.96 ERA)

Cardinals vs Cubs Betting Trends

• St. Louis is 6-0 straight up in its last six games.
• The Cubs are 2-8 straight up in their last 10 games against St. Louis.
• The total has hit the over in eight of St. Louis’ last 11 games against the National League.
• The total has hit the over in seven of the Cubs’ last eight home games.

Cardinals vs Cubs Game Preview

Tonight’s matchup is the seventh Cardinals vs Cubs meeting of the 2023 season. While the Cubs have had their moments, it’s been the Cardinals who’ve enjoyed the spotlight for the most part, winning four of the previous six tilts.

In fact, St. Louis has now won eight of the last 10 matchups in this rivalry dating back to last year. Even with Chicago having the home-field advantage, that doesn’t really matter. The Cards are 4-1 in their last five trips to Wrigley Field, outscoring the Cubs 28-20 on aggregate during those contests.

Nevertheless, continuing that streak won’t be easy for the Cardinals as the Cubs are slated to send Justin Steele to the mound. The first-time all-star lefty has been his team’s best pitcher in 2023 and has found most of his success at home, going 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA in 10 previous starts at Wrigley Field.

On the flip side, Steele didn’t exactly look great in his latest outing. He went up against the Boston Red Sox on July 16, giving up six earned runs and two homers on 10 hits over six innings in an 11-5 loss for the Cubs.

Catch the #STLCards this afternoon on @AppleTV!

Don't miss an inning of #FridayNightBaseball! Get a 2-month free trial of Apple TV+ at this link: https://t.co/6N8oUVm6l0 pic.twitter.com/GIaWJjWgZr

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 21, 2023

The Cardinals hope Jack Flaherty continues being a consistent presence on the mound. The 27-year-old hurler has picked up victories in each of his last four starts, playing to a 3.24 ERA while striking out 21 batters over 25 innings along the way. Flaherty also picked up a win over the Cubs back in May, recording three K’s with a trio of earned runs allowed over five innings.

Keeping that in mind, Steele has also had success against the Cards. The gifted southpaw has beaten the NL Central rival twice in as many meetings this year, tallying a 3.00 ERA with 11 strikeouts in those appearances.

Interestingly enough, both clubs have had similar success against their division in 2023. The Cardinals are 12-14 against the NL Central while the Cubs are 12-12 in that regard. One thing that does stand out, though, is that St. Louis is a respectable 5-3 as the underdog in divisional matchups, whereas Chicago is 9-10 as the favorite and 5-8 at home.

Cardinals vs Cubs Prediction and Picks

Cardinals vs Cubs Prediction: Cardinals 5, Cubs 4

Cardinals vs Cubs Best Bet: Cardinals ML (Best Value: +116 ) & Jack Flaherty Over 17.5 Outs (-130)

I predict that the Cardinals will continue their dominance in this rivalry by winning again today. Not only did they decisively win last night, but they’ve also had a ton of success at Wrigley Field in general. As long as Flaherty keeps true to form on the mound and doesn’t allow the Cubs to capitalize on anything, the Cards are in a good spot to win.

Another strong Cardinals vs Cubs bet is taking the over on Jack Flaherty’s 17.5-out total. In order to make good on this prop, Flaherty must make it out of the sixth inning. Fortunately, that isn’t too much of an ask as he’s done so in nine of his 18 starts thus far — including in each of the last four.

After the Cubs bats only generated two runs on six hits yesterday, Flaherty has a good opportunity to have another impressive start.

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