St. Louis Cardinals vs Milwaukee Brewers Picks and Predictions August 22nd 2024

Thursday’s matchup between the Brewers and Cardinals is set to get started at 2:15 PM ET from Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO. The Brewers are currently 1st in the NL Central with a record of 73-53, while the Cardinals are 2nd in the division at 62-64.

The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, and the Brewers are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -121 compared to the Cardinals at +103. Freddy Peralta is starting for the Brewers, while the Cardinals are going with Miles Mikolas. BSWI is carrying this game on TV.

Freddy Peralta will be looking to build off his last outing, where he faced off against the Guardians and picked up the win. In that outing, he went six innings and only gave up one earned run. Looking back further, he has allowed four earned runs in three straight outings. Peralta’s record for the season is 8-7, and he has an ERA of 4.00. Opponents are batting .216 off Peralta this season. The right-hander has made 25 starts, 10 of which were quality starts. Peralta’s ERA on the road is 4.20, compared to 4.42 at home.

William Contreras and Willy Adames have been the Brewers’ top power threats this season, as Adames’ 22 homers is 1st on the team and 9th in the league, while Contreras is 3rd on the team with 17 homers. Adames is also the team’s leader in RBIs, with 85, which is also 9th in the MLB. Contreras has been hot of late, hitting .310 over his last eight games, with three homers, and five RBIs.

As a team, the Brewers are 9th in the league in scoring, averaging 4.8 runs per game. They have been even better on the road this season, averaging 4.9 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting .254 as a team (5th) and have the league’s 3rd best on-base percentage.

Right-hander Miles Mikolas gets the start for the Cardinals today as he faces the Brewers at home. He has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 8-10 with a 5.41 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Mikolas has a WHIP of 1.29 and has turned in 13 quality starts. Per nine innings, he is averaging just 1.43 walks compared to 6.26 strikeouts. In his last outing, Mikolas took the loss, giving up five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. He has allowed at least one homer in three straight starts.

Heading into today’s game, the Cardinals are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 23rd in the league. At home, they have been slightly better, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .246, which is 9th in the league, and they are also near the top of the league in terms of avoiding strikeouts. So far, they have been a below-average home run hitting team.

Over his last 10 games, Nolan Arenado has gone 10/39 with three homers and eight RBIs. This has pushed his season-long batting average to .272, and his 59 RBIs are the 2nd most on the team. Arenado also comes into the game on a four-game hitting streak. Alec Burleson is leading the team with 21 homers, and his 70 RBIs are the best in the lineup.

The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping to build on the electrifying energy from their recent walk-off grand slam as they prepare to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the decisive game of their three-game series on Thursday afternoon. After a tough stretch where they dropped seven of eight games, Wednesday’s dramatic win might just be the spark they’ve been searching for.

Nolan Arenado’s Grand Slam Sparks Hope

Nolan Arenado delivered a game-changing moment on Wednesday, blasting a 10th-inning walk-off grand slam to secure a 10-6 victory over the Brewers. This win was not only crucial for the Cardinals’ standings but also for their morale as they fight to claw their way back from three games below .500. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol emphasized how Arenado’s heroics could be the turning point the team needs.

Cardinals Make Strategic Roster Moves

The Cardinals have been busy reshuffling their roster to find the right mix. On Wednesday, the team sent struggling infielder Nolan Gorman to Triple-A Memphis and called up Jose Fermin, who made an immediate impact by reaching base twice and scoring two runs in the victory. Additionally, newly promoted Luken Baker smashed a pinch-hit two-run homer in his first at-bat, showcasing the potential firepower of the team’s revamped bench.

These moves reflect the Cardinals’ urgency to inject fresh energy into their lineup as they aim to build on their recent success.

Miles Mikolas Looks to Rebound

St. Louis will turn to right-hander Miles Mikolas for the series finale. Mikolas has had a rough August, posting a 9.22 ERA, but he’s looking to bounce back after a productive bullpen session that has him feeling more confident. His track record against the Brewers is mixed, with a 1-1 record and a 6.75 ERA in two starts this season, but overall, he holds a more favorable career mark of 10-6 with a 4.09 ERA in 18 appearances against Milwaukee.

Mikolas acknowledged that his recent struggles have been frustrating but believes he’s made the necessary adjustments to get back on track.

Brewers Rely on Freddy Peralta to Secure Series Win

The Brewers, who had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday, will send Freddy Peralta to the mound. Peralta has been a steady force this season with a 4.00 ERA and is coming off a strong outing against the Cleveland Guardians, where he allowed just one run over six innings. Although he didn’t factor into the decisions in his two starts against the Cardinals this season, Peralta pitched effectively, giving up just three runs over 12 innings with 15 strikeouts.

Milwaukee will be counting on Peralta’s consistency as they look to bounce back and secure the series win, especially after the loss of key reliever A.J. Minter for the season due to hip surgery.

Game and Series Implications

This game carries a lot of weight for both teams. The Cardinals, fueled by Arenado’s walk-off grand slam, need a win to keep their momentum going and stay in the hunt for playoff contention. On the flip side, the Brewers are looking to maintain their position in the standings by clinching the series and recovering from their recent setback.

The performances of Miles Mikolas and Freddy Peralta will be crucial in determining the outcome, as both teams rely on their starting pitchers to set the tone. With the regular season winding down, every game is critical, making this series finale a must-watch for baseball fans.

Our lean for a money-line pick in this Brewers vs. Cardinals matchup is to take the Brewers to come out on top. And as for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 2nd highest-scoring game of the day. These teams have the 8th lowest combined hits projection, and 6th lowest home run projection. Freddy Peralta is 3rd among today’s starters in projected strikeouts.