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Saturday MLB Odds and Picks – Cardinals vs Cubs (Gant vs Hendricks)

John Perrotto

by John Perrotto in MLB Baseball

Updated Jun 12, 2021 · 7:25 AM PDT

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks throwing a pitch during a baseball game.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks delivers during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
  • The Chicago Cubs are -175 favorites over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night at Wrigley Field
  • Kyle Hendricks (7-4, 4.59) will start for the Cubs against John Gant (4-3, 2.63)
  • A look at Cardinals-Cubs can be found below along with a prediction

The Chicago Cubs will try to keep their three-game winning streak alive when they hosts the slumping St. Louis Cardinals at 7:15 p.m. ET Saturday at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs (36-27) made it three in a row Friday when they opened the three-game series with an 8-5 victory. Tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the National League Central, the Cubs are 26-13 since April 29 for the best record in the NL in that span are favored to win again Saturday.

The Cardinals (32-31) have lost seven of their last eight games and nine of 11. They led the NL Central after games of May 30 but have fallen to third place, four games behind the Cubs and Brewers.

Cardinals vs Cubs Odds

Team Moneyline Runline Total
St. Louis Cardinals +145 +1.5 (-143) Over 7.5 (-120)
Chicago Cubs -175 -1.5 (+120) Under 7.5 (+100)

Odds as of June 12th at FoxBet

Gant Looks to Rebound

Gant is coming off his worst start of the season last Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis. While he did not factor in the decision, Gant was tagged for a career-high seven runs and seven hits in four innings while walking three and striking out two.

Walks have been a problem for Gant this season. He has issued three bases on balls in each of his last three starts and his 37 walks in 11 starts and 54.2 innings lead the major leagues.

Gant, though, is 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA in his last five starts. He also did not allow a run in three of his four starts prior to getting hit hard by the Reds.

Gant has made two quality starts this season. Those were the only games in which he has made it through the sixth inning.

In his career against the Cubs, Gant has a 2-2 record and 2.28 ERA in 13 games, including three starts. He is 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA at Wrigley Field in one start and seven relief appearances.

Cardinals closer Alex Reyes has been perfect in 16 save opportunities this season and is 18-for-18 in his career.

That is third-longest consecutive saves streak to begin a career in MLB history behind LaTroy Hawkins’ 23 and Tippy Martinez’s 22.

Cubs Career Stats vs Gant

Player AB H HR RBI K AVG
Joc Pederson 5 1 0 0 2 .20
Kris Bryant 8 0 0 0 0 .000
Javier Baez 11 2 0 0 3 .182
Anthony Rizzo 9 5 1 2 1 .556
Willson Contreras 6 2 0 1 3 .333
Patrick Wisdom 0 0 0 0 0 —
Jason Heyward 10 2 0 0 1 .200
Sergio Alcantara 0 0 0 0 0 —

Shortstop Javier Baez returned to the Cubs’ lineup Friday and went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts after missing the three-game against the Padres earlier in the week at San Diego with a sore right thumb. He is 1 for 20 (.050) with nine strikeouts in his last five games.

Baez, though, is very capable of something like this.

Left fielder Joc Pederson has hit four home runs in his last seven games. Outfielder Ian Happ is 3-for-26 (.115) in his last nine games.

Hendricks on a Roll

Hendricks has won a career-high five consecutive starts and has a 2.91 ERA in that span. He beat the Giants last Sunday at San Francisco in his last outing, giving up three runs and seven hits in 6.1 innings with five strikeouts and three walks.

Before going on his winning streak, Hendricks was 2-5 with a 6.23 ERA through his first seven starts of the season.

Hendricks has allowed 17 home runs this season, the most in MLB. However, he also has pitched at least six innings in eight of 12 games and recorded quality starts in each of those outings.

Hendricks is 10-3 in his career with a 2.81 ERA against the Cardinals in 21 starts. He beat them May 21 at St. Louis, allowing three runs (one earned) in 6.2 innings.

Wrigley Field has not been the Friendly Confines for Hendricks this year, though as he is 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA in seven starts at home.

Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel has gone 10 games without allowing an earned run.

He has struck out 17 in 9.1 innings during that stretch while notching nine saves and a win.

Cardinals Career Stats vs Hendricks

Player AB H HR RBI K AVG
Tommy Edman 16 3 0 1 3 .188
Dylan Carlson 6 1 0 0 2 .167
Paul Goldschmidt 32 11 0 2 5 .344
Nolan Arenado 28 7 2 3 2 .250
Tyler O’Neill 8 1 0 0 3 .125
Yadier Molina 42 10 0 1 6 .238
Matt Carpenter 54 12 3 5 15 .222
Paul DeJong 32 4 0 2 8 .125

Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong was activated from the injured list Friday and went 0 for 4. He had been out since May 13 with a fractured rib in his left side.

Left fielder Tyler O’Neill has been on base in 17 straight games, going 23 for 63 (.365) with eight home runs, 16 RBIs and 15 runs scored.

Second baseman Matt Carpenter has also been hot, going 9 for 27 (.333) in his last 11 games with six doubles and seven RBIs.

Rookie centerfielder Dylan Carlson is just 2 for 22 (.091) in his last five games with eight strikeouts.

Rizzo Rises to the Occassion

Anthony Rizzo hit a tying home run in the sixth inning on the 14th pitch of his at-bat against Daniel Ponce de Leon and Pederson and Willson Contreras also went deep to lead the Cubs on Friday.

With Wrigley Field allowed 100% capacity for the first time since 2019, the Cubs rallied from a 5-1 deficit before a crowd of 35,112.

Pederson drove in three runs and gave the Cubs a 7-5 lead in the seventh with a two-run double against Genesis Cabrera (1-2).

All Knotted Up

The Cubs have won three of four games from the Cardinals this season. However, the series is tied at 26-26 since the start of the 2018 season.

All signs point to the Cubs in this one as Hendricks is rolling and the Cardinals are skidding.

The Pick: Cubs (-175)

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