The forecast from St. Louis on Tuesday calls for scattered clouds and temperatures in the low 80s. First pitch from Busch Stadium is set for 7:45 PM ET. BSWI is carrying the game on TV.
The Cardinals are the slight favorite on the money line (-126), while the Brewers are sitting at +107. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs. Milwaukee will be looking to extend their five-game winning streak, and they are 1st in the NL Central, while the Cardinals are 2nd (61-63 overall). Erick Fedde is the Cardinals’ starter, and he is facing off against Frankie Montas for the Brewers.
Milwaukee vs. St. Louis Key Information
- Teams: Brewers at Cardinals
- Where: Busch Stadium St. Louis
- Date: Tuesday, August 20th
- Betting Odds STL -126 | MIL +107 O/U 8
The Brewers Can Win If…
Right-hander Frankie Montas gets the start for the Brewers today as he faces the Cardinals on the road. He has made 22 starts this season and has a record of 5-8 with an ERA of 4.86. Montas’ WHIP for the season is 1.46, and opponents are batting .247 off him this year. In his last outing, Montas finished with a no-decision, giving up three earned runs in five innings of work. He has given up three earned runs in each of his last two outings. Montas has finished with a no-decision in three straight starts.
William Contreras has been one of the Brewers’ top power hitters this season, but he has struggled of late, hitting just .190 over his last six games. However, he has gone deep three times over that stretch. For the season, he is batting .282 with 17 homers. Willy Adames has also been a big power threat for the Brewers, as his 22 homers are the best on the team and 15th in the league. Adames is also on a four-game hitting streak.
As a team, the Brewers are averaging 4.8 runs per game and have been a little better on the road (4.9 RPG) than at home (4.7 RPG). Overall, they are 8th in team batting average and have the 3rd best on-base percentage in the league. Milwaukee’s offense is also 3rd in walks and has the 2nd best team BABIP in the league.
- The Brewers are 7-3 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Brewers are 4-1 vs. the run line.
- Milwaukee has an over/under record of 3-5-2 in their last ten games.
- The Brewers have an average of 4.0 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten road games, the Brewers are 7-3
- Looking back across the Brewers last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
- Milwaukee has gone 3-0 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Brewers have averaged 6.2 runs per game on offense
The Cardinals Can Win If…
Right-hander Erick Fedde gets the start for the Cardinals today and will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Reds. In that start, he took the loss, giving up four earned runs in six innings of work. Looking back over his last four outings, Fedde has given up at least two homers in three of them. Overall, he has allowed 18 homers this season. Fedde’s ERA for the season is 3.40, along with a record of 8-6. At home, he is 6-2 with a 2.06 ERA compared to 2-4 with a 4.8 ERA on the road.
St. Louis has been one of the league’s worst offensive teams this season, averaging just 4.1 runs per game. They have been even worse on the road, averaging only 3.9 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .245, which is 12th in the league, and are 19th in home runs. The Cardinals’ team on-base percentage of .309 is also below the league average.
Right fielder Alec Burleson comes into the game as the team’s leading home run hitter, with 21 homers, and is also batting .277. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman are tied for 2nd on the team in homers, but both are batting under .230 for the season. Brendan Donovan is on a four-game hitting streak and is batting .270 this season.
- The Cardinals are 3-7 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Cardinals are 3-2 vs. the run line.
- St. Louis has an over/under record of 5-5 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 home games, the Cardinals are 2-8
- Looking back across the Cardinals last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
- 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 2.9 runs per game on offense
Brewers Look to Extend NL Central Lead Against Struggling Cardinals
The Milwaukee Brewers are charging ahead in the National League Central race, and they’ve got a prime opportunity to widen their lead as they kick off a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. With an 11-game cushion over the second-place Cardinals, the Brewers can further solidify their hold on the division title this week.
Brewers Stay Focused Amid Division Dominance
The Brewers come into the series on a five-game winning streak, showing just how dominant they’ve been in the division. Despite their comfortable lead, manager Pat Murphy is keeping his team grounded, using a boxing analogy to stress the importance of staying focused and avoiding complacency.
“We’re in the middle of the fight,” Murphy said. “You just need to stay the course. You need to stay in the ring. Get some water. Boom, wait for the bell. Boom, go out there and try to win a decision every round you can.”
According to right-hander Colin Rea, the Brewers are clearly having fun and playing relaxed, which has been reflected in their recent success.
Cardinals Struggle to Find Offense
On the flip side, the Cardinals are in the midst of an offensive slump, having lost six of their last seven games. In their most recent outing, a 2-1 home loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cardinals went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position—a recurring issue for the team. It was the 25th time this season they failed to record a hit with runners in scoring position during a game.
“At the end of the day, this is just going to come down to if we hit enough,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. “If we drive the baseball, if we slug, if we situationally hit, if we execute with runners in scoring position, once we do create those opportunities.”
Pitching Matchup: Frankie Montas vs. Erick Fedde
The series opener will feature a pitching duel between two pitchers who joined their teams via trades ahead of the deadline.
Frankie Montas (5-8, 4.86 ERA) will start for the Brewers. Montas has been solid since joining Milwaukee, posting a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA over three starts. However, his track record against the Cardinals is less favorable, with an 0-2 record and a 6.00 ERA in three career starts. Both losses came earlier this season, despite Montas delivering quality outings.
For the Cardinals, Erick Fedde (8-6, 3.40 ERA) will take the mound. Fedde has struggled since being traded to St. Louis, going 1-2 with a 5.63 ERA. His last start against the Brewers in May saw him allow four runs over five innings, continuing a trend of inconsistent performances.
Brewers’ Bullpen Boost?
The Brewers might get some additional help in the bullpen with the potential return of reliever Trevor Megill, who has been on the injured list since July 29 with a back issue. Megill has been rehabbing in the minors and could be activated for this series, adding depth to Milwaukee’s already strong bullpen.
Series Outlook: Brewers Poised to Pull Away
As the Brewers and Cardinals face off, Milwaukee is poised to further widen the gap in the NL Central. With the Brewers in top form and the Cardinals struggling to find their offensive rhythm, this series could be a defining moment in the division race. Fans can expect an intense battle as the Brewers aim to capitalize on their momentum and the Cardinals fight to keep their division hopes alive.
The Lean
Our lean for an over/under pick would be to take the over, as this is our 2nd lowest projected scoring game of the day. As for who we are leaning to take this one straight up, we like the Brewers to come out on top. Milwaukee starter Frankie Montas has the 8th best odds to pick up a win and 7th best odds to work deep into the game. On the other side, Erick Fedde has the 17th best strikeout projection among today’s starters.