Ny Yankees vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Predictions August 31st 2024

The forecast for Saturday’s Cardinals vs. Yankees interleague matchup calls for broken clouds and temperatures in the low 70s. First pitch from Yankee Stadium is set for 1:05 PM ET. MLBN is carrying this game on TV.

New York is the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -169 compared to the Cardinals at +143. The over/under line is at 9.5 runs, and Will Warren is starting for the Yankees, while the Cardinals are going with Kyle Gibson. St. Louis is 3rd in the NL Central, and the Yankees lead the AL East with a record of 79-56. The Cardinals are 67-68.

Right-hander Kyle Gibson gets the start for the Cardinals today as he faces the Yankees on the road. He has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 7-6 with a 4.54 ERA. Gibson’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.38, and he has turned in 10 quality starts. In his last outing, Gibson took the loss, giving up seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of work. Before that, he had given up two earned runs or fewer in three straight starts. Opponents are batting .257 off Gibson this season.

Paul Goldschmidt has been on a tear for the Cardinals in his last five games, going 11/18 with six RBIs. For the season, he is hitting just .240, but his 20 homers are the 2nd most on the team. Alec Burleson has been the team’s top power threat, as his 21 homers are the most on the team and 15th in the league. He is also batting .280.

St. Louis’ offense has been led by Masyn Winn, who is batting .285 and has gone 9/21 in his last five games. He also has 12 homers and 47 RBIs. The Cardinals are 10th in team batting average and are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 25th in the MLB.

Will Warren is getting the start for the Yankees today at home vs. St. Louis. Warren has had a tough start to the season, as he has taken the loss in both of his starts. He has given up 5 earned runs in each of his first two starts and has yet to make it through 5 innings in a start.

Heading into today’s game, the Yankees are the top-scoring offense in the league, averaging 5.1 runs per game. They have been even better on the road this season, putting up 5.3 runs per contest. Not only do they lead the league in home runs, but they also have the best OPS in the league. New York also has the best team walk rate in the league.

Aaron Judge has been the best hitter in the league this season, as his 51 homers and 123 RBIs are both the best in the MLB. He is also hitting an impressive .331. Juan Soto is also having a strong season, batting .293 with 37 homers.

Yankees Look to Keep Offense Rolling Against Cardinals in Pursuit of Series Win

The New York Yankees are looking to keep their bats hot as they prepare for the second game of their series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. After a rough stretch against the Washington Nationals, the Yankees bounced back with a solid 6-3 victory in Friday’s series opener, thanks to key performances from Juan Soto and rookie Austin Wells.

Yankees’ Offensive Revival

The Yankees’ offense struggled in their previous series against Washington, going just 1-for-26 with runners in scoring position and dropping two of three games. However, they showed signs of life on Friday, with Soto and Wells leading the charge.

Juan Soto, who has been a steady presence for New York, delivered a game-tying double and made a crucial defensive play in right field. His double sparked a three-run third inning, which included the first of two two-run homers by Austin Wells. Soto has now reached base in 115 of his 131 games this season, and 30 of his last 47 hits have gone for extra bases.

Meanwhile, Austin Wells has emerged as a significant offensive force, especially in the cleanup spot. The rookie is hitting .346 (28-for-81) with five homers and 21 RBIs over his last 20 games. In his last 30 games, Wells has raised his average from .212 to .256, showcasing both power and consistency at the plate.

“You go back, the catching was ahead of where we expected last year and at the start of this year, kind of waiting on the bat to come, and it sure has,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He puts together really good at-bats and then he’s got that power in there, too.”

Cardinals’ Struggles and Key Players

The Cardinals, despite collecting 10 hits on Friday, fell to 0-7 all-time in the regular season against the Yankees in New York. Paul Goldschmidt led the way for St. Louis with three hits, continuing his hot streak, batting .571 (12-for-21) over his last six games. Nolan Arenado also contributed with a home run, but the Cardinals’ efforts were hampered by three double plays and a lack of plate discipline, as they failed to draw a walk for the 13th time this season.

St. Louis has struggled recently, winning only seven of their last 18 games. The team is trying to reintegrate young outfielder Jordan Walker into the lineup after recalling him from Triple-A Memphis. Walker went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in Friday’s game, and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol expressed confidence in the 22-year-old’s potential.

“I think Jordan Walker has a chance to be a real, game-changing, impact player for a very long time for this organization,” Marmol said. “In order for him to do that, he’s going to need the at-bats, but he’s also going to need some real adjustments in those at-bats to become that player.”

Saturday’s Pitching Matchup

The Cardinals will turn to veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson (7-6, 4.54 ERA) on Saturday. Gibson has struggled lately, going 0-3 with a 5.86 ERA over his last eight starts. His last win came on July 7 against Washington, and he’s coming off a rough outing against the San Diego Padres, where he allowed seven runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings. Historically, Gibson has struggled against the Yankees, with a 2-7 record and a 5.94 ERA in 12 career starts.

The Yankees will counter with rookie right-hander Will Warren (0-2, 9.68 ERA), who is set to make his fifth career start. Warren has had a tough start to his major league career and is coming off his shortest outing yet, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in three innings against the Colorado Rockies. He also committed two balks in that game, highlighting the challenges he’s faced in adjusting to the big leagues. Warren has not yet faced the Cardinals in his career.

Match Outlook

As the Yankees aim to secure a series win against the Cardinals, they’ll be relying on continued production from their lineup, particularly from emerging stars like Austin Wells and the ever-reliable Juan Soto. For the Cardinals, Kyle Gibson will need to overcome his recent struggles to give St. Louis a chance to snap their losing streak in New York. With both teams dealing with inconsistencies, Saturday’s game could hinge on which side can execute better on both offense and defense.

Our lean for an over/under pick would be to take the under, as this is projected to be the 5th lowest-scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we have the Yankees coming out on top. New York’s offense is our 5th highest-rated home run-hitting team, and Will Warren is 5th in innings pitched projection. On the other side, Kyle Gibson is 5th worst in starting pitcher strikeouts projection.