St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers odds, picks and predictions

Ryan Dodson
Staff Writer

The St. Louis Cardinals (0-0) take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1) Thursday at Dodger Stadium at 4:10 p.m. ET. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Cardinals vs. Dodgersodds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: First meeting; Dodgers won series 4-3 in 2023

The Cardinals are starting the season off on the wrong foot with a slew of injuries. RHP Sonny Gray (hamstring), OF Dylan Carlson (shoulder), OF Lars Nootbaar (ribs), INF/OF Tommy Edman (wrist) and RHP Keynan Middleton (forearm) will all begin the season on the injured list. They still pack a talented roster with the likes of 3B Nolan Arenado, 1B Paul Goldschmidt and C Willson Contreras. They also have an infusion of youth with OF Jordan Walker, SS Masyn Winn and OF Victor Scott II. They have a brutal schedule to open the season, and that starts here.

The Dodgers split the series in Korea against the San Diego Padres, winning  5-2 and dropping the 2nd game 15-11. SS Mookie Betts is already turning heads by starting the season 6-for-9 (.667) with a HR and a double. The Dodgers are loaded after acquiring DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani and RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the offseason. You'll be hard-pressed to find a game where they'll be underdogs this season.

Cardinals at Dodgers projected starters

RHP Miles Mikolas vs. RHP Tyler Glasnow

Mikolas was 9-13 with a 4.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9 and 6.1 K/9 in 201 1/3 IP last season.

  • Had 1 start against LA last year; 7 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 0 BB and 2 K in a no-decision
  • Was 6-6 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 5.2 K/9 in 17 road starts last season

Glasnow (0-0, 3.60 ERA) makes his 2nd start. He has a 1.20 WHIP, 7.2 BB/9 and 5.4 K/9 in 5 IP.

  • Wasn't sharp in his 1st start vs Padres in Korea, allowing 2 R, 2 H, 4 BB and 3 K in 5 IP
  • Was 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 12.1 K/9 in 4 starts against the NL last year as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays

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Cardinals at Dodgers odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:59 a.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Cardinals +185 (bet $100 to win $185) | Dodgers -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
  • Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Cardinals +1.5 (-105) | Dodgers -1.5 (-115)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 9 (O: +100| U: -120)

Cardinals at Dodgers picks and predictions

Prediction

Dodgers 6, Cardinals 2

Moneyline

The Cards will be lucky to get 1 in this series, but it won't be this game. Glasnow has the stuff to strike out 10 despite an iffy 1st start overseas.

In fact, since we're not touching the bloated ML, take TYLER GLASNOW OVER 7.5 STRIKEOUTS (+120) for the nice return.

Run line/Against the spread

These teams met in an early season series at Dodger Stadium last year, and the Dodgers swept it. They won 7-3, 1-0 and 6-3. They are even more loaded this year, and they'll likely take this one off the hinges.

Take the DODGERS -1.5 (-115).

Over/Under

This is the tricky one because it's going to depend on whether the Cards score 3+ in order to cash an Over. They scored 6 runs in 3 games in an April 2023 series at Chavez Ravine last year, so I would not count on it. The Dodgers already have 2 regular season games under their belts, and the Cardinals enter the season wounded.

LEAN UNDER 9 (-120).

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