St. Louis Cardinals vs Seattle Mariners Picks and Predictions September 7th 2024

From Busch Stadium in St. Louis, we have the Mariners and Cardinals facing off in an interleague matchup. The money line odds have the Mariners favored at -127, while the Cardinals are at +107. The over/under line is currently at 7.5 runs.

Logan Gilbert will start for the Mariners, and he is facing off against Kyle Gibson for the Cardinals. Seattle is 72-70 and they have won three straight, while the Cardinals are 71-70 and are 3rd in the NL Central. The Mariners are 2nd in the AL West, while the Cardinals are 3rd in the NL Central.

Seattle is sending right-hander Logan Gilbert to the mound today as he faces the Cardinals on the road. Gilbert has made 28 starts this season and has a record of 7-10 with an ERA of 3.19. So far, he has turned in 21 quality starts and is averaging 9.17 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Gilbert finished with a no-decision, giving up four earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had put together back-to-back scoreless outings. Gilbert’s ERA on the road is 5.45, compared to 2.48 at home.

Cal Raleigh has been struggling this season, hitting just .211, but he does lead the Mariners with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs, which is 11th in the MLB. He has been swinging the bat better of late, going 7/27 in his last seven games with two homers. Julio Rodriguez has also been swinging the bat well, going 11/30 in his last seven games.

As a team, the Mariners are 26th in the league in runs scored at 4.1 per game. They have been even worse at home, averaging just 3.7 runs per contest. Overall, they are the league’s worst team in terms of batting average and also have the most strikeouts in the league.

Kyle Gibson will be looking to build off his last outing, where he faced the Yankees and picked up the win. In that start, he went seven innings, giving up just one earned run. Looking at his overall numbers, Gibson has made 26 starts, and his record for the season is 8-6. The right-hander’s ERA is 4.39, along with a WHIP of 1.35. Opposing batters are hitting .253 off Gibson this season. Out of his 26 starts, he has turned in 11 quality starts. For the year, Gibson has allowed 19 home runs and is averaging 3.41 walks per nine innings compared to 8.17 strikeouts.

Paul Goldschmidt has been swinging a hot bat for the Cardinals, going 16/38 (.421) over his last nine games with one home run and six RBIs. Goldschmidt is currently tied for the team lead in homers with 21. Alec Burleson is also at 21 homers this season and is batting .275, just like Goldschmidt. Masyn Winn is also hitting .275 and has 12 homers.

As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 24th in the league. They are also just 21st in home runs and have a below-average OPS of .701. St. Louis is batting .247 this season, which is 10th in the league.

The Seattle Mariners (72-70) are riding an offensive hot streak as they continue their push for a playoff spot in the American League West. After winning three straight games with a combined score of 28-8, Seattle is looking to keep the momentum going against the St. Louis Cardinals (71-70) in the second game of a three-game series on Saturday night.

Mariners Stay Hot in AL West Race

The Mariners are currently second in the AL West, trailing the division-leading Houston Astros by 4.5 games. Seattle’s offense, which had been up and down earlier in the season, has caught fire lately. A big part of that resurgence is due to Julio Rodriguez, who’s riding a nine-game hitting streak and is locked in at the plate.

With Rodriguez leading the charge, Seattle’s offense has become a force, just in time to make a serious playoff push.

Logan Gilbert Takes the Mound for Seattle

Seattle will rely on right-hander Logan Gilbert (7-10, 3.19 ERA) for Saturday’s game. Gilbert is coming off a solid start against Oakland, where he struck out nine batters over six innings, though he ended with a no-decision in a 5-4 loss. He allowed four runs on just four hits while walking one batter.

This will be Gilbert’s first career start against the Cardinals, and the Mariners are counting on him to continue his strong form and keep the momentum going for their offense.

Cardinals Look to Bounce Back After Loss

On the other side, the St. Louis Cardinals are searching for consistency as their playoff hopes hang in the balance. They fell 6-1 to the Mariners on Friday, slipping further from the final National League wild-card spot. Their offense struggled, managing just five hits, with Jordan Walker hitting their only run via a home run.

“We took some other good at-bats, but nothing to show for it,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. He pointed out that some of his hitters, like Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson, made solid contact but couldn’t find success. To even the series, the Cardinals will need their offense to bounce back in a big way.

Kyle Gibson Aims to Shut Down Mariners’ Bats

The Cardinals will counter with right-hander Kyle Gibson (8-6, 4.39 ERA), who’s coming off one of his best starts of the season. Gibson held the New York Yankees to one run on five hits over seven strong innings, striking out six in a 6-5 victory. He’ll need to bring that same level of command against a surging Mariners lineup.

However, Gibson’s history against Seattle isn’t great. He’s 4-6 with a 4.92 ERA in 15 career starts versus the Mariners. Last season, the Mariners roughed him up, tagging him for 14 runs on 19 hits over just 8 1/3 innings when he was with Baltimore. Saturday’s game offers Gibson a chance at redemption, but he’ll face a tall task against Seattle’s red-hot offense.

Arenado’s Status in Question

The Cardinals have another concern heading into Saturday’s game: the status of third baseman Nolan Arenado. He left Friday’s game in the ninth inning with a shoulder strain, and it’s unclear if he’ll be available for this crucial matchup. Losing Arenado, one of their top hitters, would be a massive blow to a Cardinals lineup already struggling to find consistency.

Key Matchups to Watch

Julio Rodriguez vs. Kyle Gibson: Rodriguez is on fire with a nine-game hitting streak, and Gibson’s past struggles against the Mariners make this a key battle. Can Rodriguez continue his hot streak and give Seattle an early lead?

Logan Gilbert vs. Cardinals’ Lineup: Gilbert has been a reliable arm for Seattle, but the Cardinals have some dangerous hitters who can change the game. Gilbert’s ability to limit damage and keep St. Louis in check will be crucial for the Mariners’ chances.

Seattle’s Offense vs. St. Louis’ Bullpen: If Seattle gets to Gibson early, the Cardinals’ bullpen will face heavy pressure. The Mariners’ recent offensive surge could create a nightmare for St. Louis if their relievers are overworked.

For expert picks and insights on upcoming games, be sure to sign up here!

What’s at Stake?

For the Seattle Mariners, this game presents another chance to keep pace in the AL West and solidify their playoff position. Extending their winning streak to four games would keep the heat on the Houston Astros and bolster their confidence as the season winds down.

For the St. Louis Cardinals, every game is critical. Sitting six games out of the NL wild card, they can’t afford to lose more ground. A win would help them stay in the race, while another loss would push them closer to elimination.

With both teams fighting for a spot in the postseason, Saturday’s game promises to be a high-stakes battle that could impact their October aspirations.

Today’s matchup between the Mariners and Cardinals has the 9th highest combined runs projection and 6th highest hits projection. Our lean would be towards taking the over. As for a straight-up pick, we would be leaning towards the Mariners to come out on top. Between the two starters, we have Logan Gilbert as today’s top strikeout option.