Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 7/12/24, 8:34 AM  by Bill Christy | Modified on 7/12/24 at 8:35 AM in MLB Picks

The Cardinals (48-44) are currently 5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the lead in the NL Central. Having won 6 of their last 10 games, the Cards have lost their last 2, both to the Kansas City Royals. Now, they continue their homestand against the visiting Chicago Cubs (45-49) who are near the bottom of the division and trail the Cards by 4 games for 2nd place. The Cubs are currently on a 4-game winning streak as they completed an impressive sweep of the Baltimore Orioles earlier this week. In fact, they outscored the Orioles 21-2 and shut them out in 2 of the 3 games. In this matchup, the Cubs will have Kyle Hendricks (1-7, 7.53) on the mound in hopes of starting this series off the same way they did against the Orioles. Hendricks has only lasted 3.2 and 2 innings in his last 2 starts. Against Milwaukee, he allowed 7 runs on 7 hits and against the Angels he allowed 2 runs on 4 hits. He may be on a short leash once again here. The Cards will go with Sonny Gray (9-5, 3.30), who has been roughed up in his last 2 starts. He has given up a total of 8 runs on 15 hits in just 9.1 innings of work. It may come down to which lineup lights up the opposing pitcher better to determine the winner of this game.