Under 7.5 (-120)
Giants vs. Cardinals: Wet And Wild (Archive)
Busch Stadium should be good and soggy Friday, making “Under” a viable MLB pick when the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants.
San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Friday, July 16, 2021 – 08:15 PM EDT at Busch Stadium
How about those San Francisco Giants? They started the 2021 MLB season as +8000 outsiders to win the World Series; by mid-June, the Giants had improved to +2600 at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review) , and now that we’re on the other side of the All-Star Game, here they are at +1000, sporting the best record in baseball at 57-32. Not too shabby for a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs in five years.
Of course, now that it’s the second half of the regular season, it’s time for the St. Louis Cardinals (+6600) to make their annual surge up the National League Central standings. The Cardinals come out of the All-Star break at 44-46, putting them on course for their first losing season since 2007 – but that’s not how they roll. What will the Cards have in store this Friday when they welcome San Francisco to Busch Stadium III?
Gausman The Bausman
A salient question as always. It’s getting late here at the ranch on a Thursday night, and the Cardinals haven’t announced their starting pitcher yet, so there aren’t any MLB odds to work with as we go to press. But let’s see what we can do to help you get prepared for Friday’s contest. We do know the Giants are planning to send Kevin Gausman (2.56 FIP) to the mound; he’s a big reason why San Fran have been so profitable this year, pulling in 5.52 of their 20.01 betting units thus far on a team record of 12-6.
Gausman also has the Under at 9-7-2 in his 18 starts. Facing Gausman will be the No. 20-ranked batting order in the majors at 8.7 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), according to the fine folks at FanGraphs. It’s a very good situation for the Giants, made better by the No. 10-ranked bullpen overall at 3.97 FIP – a bullpen that is well-rested after the All-Star break.
Monsoon Season in Mizzou
On the flip side, Cardinals relievers are also No. 20 with a collective 4.31 FIP, and the Giants are ripping the cover off the ball this year, checking in at third overall with 16.7 WAR. This will be a tough spot for any St. Louis pitcher; some online sportsbooks and news outlets have Adam Wainwright (3.97 FIP) taking the hill, and even though he’s having his best season in five years, Wainwright just hasn’t been the same since he ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2016.
Here’s another complicating factor for Friday’s matchup: There’s a flood advisory in the general area. The rain should subside by game time, but it should still be a hot and humid July evening in St. Louis, so there might be some sense betting the Under once the MLB lines hit the board – Wainwright has it at 10-7 this year, and he’s pitched at least seven innings in four of his last seven starts. Bet accordingly, and may the sphere be with you.
MLB Pick: Under 7.5 (-120) at Bovada ( visit our Bovada Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.