St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cubs Aug 23 Betting Preview: Total Runs Over/Under

The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs played a 1-0 game in their last meeting, in what was an exciting but low-scoring game. On Tuesday afternoon, they meet again, with the total for the game set around 8.5 runs. With a solid pitching matchup to be expected for this matchup, the question is whether the hitters for St. Louis and Chicago will be able to put more runs on the board this time around.

St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis has caught fire at the right time of this season, winning eight straight games to give themselves some breathing room in the National League Central race. They come into this contest with a five-game lead over the second place Milwaukee Brewers, and their offense has had a lot to do with that success. Outside of their 1-0 win over the Cubs on Monday, the Cardinals had scored five or more in each of their previous four games.

In this contest, the Cardinals will look to get back on track offensively to help Jake Woodford remain undefeated. Woodford is 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in his 23.2 innings of work on the season, and will aim to move to 3-0 against the Cubs in this Tuesday matinee. Woodford’s success so far this season could make the under a more appealing bet, but his small sample size of performance must be considered as well.

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have lost two straight games coming into this Tuesday afternoon matchup with their archrivals. Chicago’s bats have gone cold during their two-game losing streak, scoring a combined two runs in those 18 innings of action. Chicago’s pitching has not been bad by any means over that small stretch, allowing six runs total, but when you cannot score in Major League Baseball you often cannot win.

Adrian Sampson is going to get the start for the Cubs in this game, who has struggled to pick up wins despite doing a respectable job on the mound. Sampson has a 3.51 ERA so far this season, but has just one win to his name. Sampson will have his hands full with the Cardinals lineup in this game, and how he performs at home will go a long way in determining where the total lands in this matchup.

Keys to the Total

Arguably the biggest key to the total in this game in Chicago is going to be whether or not the Cardinals bats can get going. When they are at their best, the duo of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are among the best duos in the league. But as Monday showed, they can be stopped, and whether or not Cubs pitching can do that will determine if the total is in danger here.

The weather will also play a role in determining where this game lands in relation to the total. The wind at Wrigley Field is notoriously influential in deciding whether fly balls land harmlessly in the gloves of outfielders or over the ivy walls. Bettors should be sure to keep an eye on the wind and weather forecasts before locking in any wagers on this game.