Toronto Blue Jays vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Predictions September 14th 2024

At 3:07 PM ET, the Cardinals and Blue Jays face off in an interleague matchup. This one is being played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, and the Blue Jays are favored on the money line (-134). The Cardinals have a money line odds of +112 and their NL Central rank is 3rd, while the Blue Jays are 5th in the AL East.

Today’s pitching matchup is Kyle Gibson for the Cardinals and Jose Berrios for the Blue Jays. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, and BSMW will be televising this game.

St. Louis vs. Toronto Key Information

• Teams: Cardinals at Blue Jays
• Where: Rogers Centre Toronto
• Date: Saturday, September 14th
• Betting Odds TOR -134 | STL +112 O/U 8

The Cardinals Can Win If…

The Cardinals are sending right-hander Kyle Gibson to the mound today vs. the Blue Jays. He has made 27 starts this season and has a record of 8-6 with a 4.20 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Gibson has a WHIP of 1.33 and has issued 3.44 walks per nine innings compared to 8.34 strikeouts. In his last outing, Gibson finished with a no-decision, going 6 2/3 innings vs. the Mariners. He didn’t allow a run in the outing and gave up three hits and three walks. Before that, he had given up at least two homers in three straight starts.

Heading into today’s game, the Cardinals are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 24th in the MLB. They have been slightly better at home, putting up 4.2 runs per contest. As a team, the Cardinals are batting .247, which is 11th in the league, and their team OBP of .310 is 14th in the league.

Paul Goldschmidt and Alec Burleson are tied for the team lead in homers, with 21, and Burleson has also driven in the most runs on the team this season, with 73. Goldschmidt is 4th on the team with 59 RBIs. Masyn Winn is batting .273 for the season and has gone deep 13 times. However, he is just 5/30 in his last seven games.

• The Cardinals are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Cardinals are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• St. Louis has an over/under record of 3-6-1 in their last ten games.
• The Cardinals have an average of 3.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Cardinals are 6-4
• Looking back across the Cardinals last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• St. Louis has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Cardinals have averaged 4.8 runs per game on offense

The Blue Jays Can Win If…

José Berríos will be looking to build off his last outing, where he faced the Braves and picked up the win. In that start, he went six innings and gave up just one earned run. Looking back over his last four outings, Berríos has been excellent, as he has won each of his last four starts. Berríos has a record of 15-9 this season and an ERA of 3.52. Opponents have a batting average of .230 this season off Berríos. So far, he has turned in 19 quality starts and has a WHIP of 1.15.

As a team, the Blue Jays are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 20th in the league. They have been a bit better on the road, averaging 4.3 runs per contest. So far, the Blue Jays have been one of the better teams at avoiding strikeouts, and they are also 12th in the league in on-base percentage.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been one of the league’s best hitters this season, batting .320 with 28 homers and 95 RBIs. He also comes into the game on a three-game hitting streak. George Springer is also on a three-game hitting streak but is batting just .221 for the season. However, he does have 19 homers.

• The Blue Jays are 3-7 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Blue Jays are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Toronto has an over/under record of 3-6-1 in their last ten games.
• The Blue Jays have an average of 3.4 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Blue Jays are 4-6
• Looking back across the Blue Jays last five games as the favorite, they are 5-0
• Toronto has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Blue Jays have averaged 4.3 runs per game on offense

Before placing any bets, ensure you review our comprehensive MLB Betting Guide to make informed decisions.

The Lean

Our lean for a money-line pick would be to take the Blue Jays to come out on top at home vs. the Cardinals. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 2nd lowest-scoring game of the day, and this one has the lowest combined strikeout projection. Toronto starter José Berríos has the 2nd best innings pitched projection in the league today, and he has a good chance to pick up a win.

Blue Jays Look to Build Momentum Against Cardinals as Kyle Gibson Takes the Mound

The Toronto Blue Jays are hoping to keep the good vibes rolling after an intense extra-innings victory as they take on the St. Louis Cardinals in game two of their series on Saturday. Both teams are putting their faith in some red-hot pitchers, with Kyle Gibson starting for the Cardinals and José Berríos taking the ball for Toronto. It’s shaping up to be a classic pitcher’s duel, with both squads looking for some clutch hitting to back their aces.

Pitching Showdown: Gibson vs. Berríos

Saturday’s game features a must-watch matchup between Kyle Gibson and José Berríos, two pitchers who’ve been on fire lately. Gibson (8-6, 4.20 ERA) has a history of dominating the Blue Jays. Over his career, he’s 8-2 with a 4.15 ERA in 14 starts against Toronto, and he’s been especially sharp at Rogers Centre, posting a 4-0 record with a 1.75 ERA in his last four starts there. Last season, Gibson was lights out, going 3-0 with a 2.14 ERA against Toronto while pitching for the Orioles.

But Toronto isn’t backing down. They’re sending Berríos (15-9, 3.52 ERA) to the mound, and he’s been scorching hot, winning six straight starts with a dazzling 1.55 ERA since August 9. Berríos has been especially dominant at home this season, boasting a 9-2 record with a 2.81 ERA in 13 starts at Rogers Centre. He’s also had success against the Cardinals, going 2-0 with a 3.70 ERA in four career starts. With both pitchers dealing lately, this game could come down to who blinks first.

Cardinals Struggling in the Clutch

The Cardinals are going to need to step up their situational hitting if they want to bounce back from Friday’s 4-3 loss in extra innings. The big problem? They went a brutal 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position (RISP), leaving 12 runners stranded. It was a frustrating night for St. Louis, as they had plenty of chances but just couldn’t deliver in the key moments.

“We had our opportunities… You don’t deserve to win when you go 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, summing up the night.

If the Cards want to back up Gibson’s solid pitching, they’ll need to find a way to cash in with runners on base, something that’s been a thorn in their side all season.

Blue Jays Riding High After Walk-Off Win

Toronto is coming into Saturday’s game with a ton of momentum after a dramatic 4-3 walk-off win in 11 innings on Friday. Alejandro Kirk was the hero, driving in the winning run with a clutch RBI single—his first career walk-off hit. Kirk was also a key player earlier in the game, driving in a run in the fourth inning. The win pushed the Blue Jays’ record to 70-78, and while they’re out of the playoff picture, they’re still fighting to finish the season strong.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was also a standout on both sides of the ball. Starting the game at third base, he later moved to first and made two game-saving defensive stops, earning praise from manager John Schneider. “He was kind of on full display today,” said Schneider. Guerrero also added an RBI double, showing his ability to impact the game both offensively and defensively.

Even though Toronto has struggled in one-run games this season, with a 18-26 record in such contests, Friday’s win shows they’re still fighting and hoping to build some late-season momentum.

Cardinals’ Rookie Thomas Saggese Making Waves

One bright spot for St. Louis has been rookie second baseman Thomas Saggese, who’s been making quite an impression since his debut on Tuesday. Saggese hit his first career home run in the eighth inning on Friday to tie the game at 3-3 and drove in another run earlier in the contest. His two-way ability has quickly made him an important player for the Cardinals, and his continued development is giving the team something to be excited about even as they look ahead to next season.

Saggese’s emergence has been a big boost for the Cardinals, who are looking for fresh talent as they try to finish the season on a high note.

Cardinals Shuffling the Rotation: Matz to the Bullpen

The Cardinals have made some tweaks to their pitching staff, moving to a six-man rotation that pushes Steven Matz into the bullpen. Manager Oliver Marmol explained that Matz is still a valuable piece and could play a key role as a reliever, especially in a series like this one. The move allows the team to keep both Lance Lynn and Andre Pallante in the rotation as they evaluate their pitching options for the remainder of the season.

With Matz familiar with Toronto from his time as a Blue Jay, he could still be a factor out of the bullpen, giving the Cardinals another experienced arm as they try to keep Toronto’s bats in check.

For detailed daily recommendations, check out our MLB Picks

What’s at Stake?

Both teams are looking to end the season strong, even though they’re in different positions. The Cardinals, at 74-73, are fighting to stay above .500 and will be looking to even the series after missing a golden opportunity on Friday. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays, with their 70-78 record, are out of the playoff race but are trying to build momentum for the future with standout performances from guys like Kirk and Guerrero Jr.

For the Cardinals, the key to victory will be capitalizing with runners in scoring position, something they failed to do on Friday. On the other hand, Toronto will look to continue their stellar defense and lean on Berríos to give them another quality start.

Key Takeaways

Pitching Duel: Kyle Gibson’s history of dominance against Toronto sets up a great showdown with José Berríos, who’s been red-hot lately. Expect a tight battle on the mound.

Cardinals’ Offense: St. Louis needs to figure out their struggles with runners in scoring position. After going 2-for-19 in Friday’s loss, they can’t afford to waste scoring opportunities again.

Blue Jays’ Momentum: Toronto is riding high after their walk-off win and will look to continue executing in close games, something they’ve struggled with all season.

Emerging Talent: Thomas Saggese has been a bright spot for the Cardinals, while Guerrero Jr. and Kirk continue to make big contributions for Toronto.

Conclusion

The second game of this series is shaping up to be a showdown between two of the hottest pitchers in the league. With both teams eager to finish the season on a positive note, it’ll come down to which side can execute in the clutch. The Cardinals will be desperate to turn things around at the plate, while the Blue Jays look to build on their walk-off win and keep their momentum going into the weekend.