Flaherty, Cardinals Are +115 Underdogs vs Strasburg, Nationals in NLCS Game 3 – Picks & Odds
- The slumping St. Louis Cardinals travel to Washington for Game 3 of the NLCS as +115 underdogs
- The Cardinals have recorded just four total hits while opening the series with two losses
- Get the odds, our pick, and all the info you need to bet the NLCS playoff game below
The St. Louis Cardinals must find a way to revive their slumbering offense to avoid falling behind 3-0 in their NLCS clash with Washington when they visit the Nationals in Game 3 on Monday (Oct. 14th, 8:08 PM ET) as +115 underdogs in the MLB odds.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Washington Nationals Odds – Game 3
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals (J. Flaherty, RHP) | +1.5 (-195) | +115 | Ov 7.0 (-115) |
| Washington Nationals (S. Strasburg, RHP) | -1.5 (+170) | -125 | Un 7.0 (-105) |
*Odds taken 10/13/19
Cardinals’ Power Outage Continues
Once again, Cardinals batters failed to get anything going in Game 2, scattering just three hits on their way to a 3-1 loss as a +130 bet, and now take a 2-0 series deficit into Monday night’s Cardinals vs Nationals matchup at Nationals Park.
.@Cardinals hitting recap:
Game 5 NLDS: 10 runs in 1st.
Game 1 NLCS: 1 hit in 9 innings. pic.twitter.com/AjFNtnVDSg
— John Ewing (@johnewing) October 12, 2019
The Cardinals have compiled a dismal team batting average of just .070 so far in the series, and have scored one or fewer runs in four of their past six contests. Even Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna, who hit for a combined .429 average and scored 11 runs in the NLDS, have been silent, with Goldschmidt’s seventh-inning single on Saturday marking the only hit the duo has produced so far.
Two of the Cards’ four hits in the series have come from off the bench, with Jose Martinez connecting as a pinch hitter in each of the first two games
Indeed, two of the Cards’ four hits in the series have come from off the bench, with Jose Martinez connecting as a pinch hitter in each of the first two games . Not surprisingly, the Cardinals have tumbled to lengthy +500 underdogs in the MLB series prices, while the odds of the series ending in four games are a short +225.
Flaherty on the Hill for Cards
Right-hander Jack Flaherty will make his third start of the postseason on Monday night. Flaherty, who will turn 24 on Tuesday, has been steady in each of his two postseason outings, surrendering just four total earned runs over 13.0 innings of work. He also allowed one or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 12 final regular-season starts.
What a series for Jack Flaherty. #TimeToFly pic.twitter.com/i9Wo16fzuS
— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) October 10, 2019
Run support has been a massive issue for Flaherty, however, with the Cardinals scoring two or fewer runs in six of his past nine starts. But Cardinals hitters gave Flaherty plenty of early support last time out, scoring 10 first-inning runs in a series-clinching 13-1 victory over Atlanta in the Game 5 of the NLDS.
Nats Emerge as Massive Favorites on Series Prices
Now firmly in the driver’s seat with a 2-0 series lead and an opportunity to clinch a World Series berth as early as Tuesday night, Washington enters Game 3 as -125 chalk in the Cardinals vs Nationals odds.
The Nationals have now won four straight while surrendering just five total runs, and have amassed a 14-2 record over their past 16 contests. Washington has been particularly impressive on home turf, going 11-1 over their past 12 while allowing just 3.17 runs per game, a stat that is heavily inflated by a 10-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS.
The @Nationals have won four consecutive postseason games; a franchise record when considering the entire Montreal/Washington history.
With their six wins in this postseason, the team also surpassed the 1981 Expos (5) for most wins in a single postseason.
— Chris Smith (@SmittySID) October 13, 2019
The Nationals now sport short -650 0dds of winning the series and advancing to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. However, the club has posted just one win over the Cardinals in six home dates, and is 9-15 in 24 meetings since the start of the 2013 MLB season.
Washington also struggled at home in their only previous postseason matchup with the Cardinals in the 2012 NLDS, dropping two of three while giving up six runs per game to lose the series in five games.
Strasburg Steady in Home Starts
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg will make his fourth appearance of the postseason when he takes the hill for Washington on Monday. After pitching 3.0 scoreless innings in relief in a 4-3 victory over Milwaukee in this year’s NL Wild Card game, Strasburg made a pair of starts in the NLDS, allowing four total earned runs over 12.0 innings and earning the decision in the Nationals’ 6-1 Game 5 victory.
#Nats at Busch Stadium. Strasburg beat the Cardinals earlier this season with 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball & 9 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/Av4N0Wt0Pz
— Alex Chappell (@AlexChappell) September 16, 2019
Overall, Strasburg has surrendered just one total earned run in three all-time postseason appearances at home, and has gone at least six innings in each of his past three starts against the Cardinals, allowing just four total earned runs while earning a pair of wins.
Pick: Washington Nationals to win Game 3 (-125); UNDER 7.0 (-105)
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
