Chicago Cubs - St. Louis Cardinals predictions and free betting tips [16/06/2024]

On Sunday evening, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs will face off in the final game of a three-game series. The Cardinals will send left-hander Miles Mikolas (5.32 ERA) to the mound, while the Cubs will start Jameson Taillon (3.47 ERA). Chicago is the favourite and will try to secure the decisive victory in the series.

St. Louis Cardinals

In his last game against Pittsburgh, Mikolas was throwing a no-hitter until he allowed a single hit in the seventh inning. However, this did not result in any runs for the Pirates. Despite his outstanding start, Mikolas did not claim the win as the Cardinals failed to show up offensively.

Though the 35-year-old completed seven innings for the first time this year, he only threw 84 pitches. This allowed Mikolas to provide quality starts in four consecutive games.

Chicago Cubs

Jameson Taillon had an excellent last outing against the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching six scoreless innings. It's worth noting that the Cubs' bullpen imploded, and the Rays claimed a 5-2 victory after Hector Neris allowed four runs in the ninth inning.

Before this game, the Cubs had lost 15 of their last 22 games. Jordan Wickes exited the first game of the series early due to a strain and is likely to be placed on the injured list.

Match Prediction: Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals

Veteran Miles Mikolas is coming into form as the season progresses, providing the Cardinals with quality starts. The Cubs are in poor form, so if St. Louis' offence performs well, they should take this game. Chicago’s last win was largely due to another solid performance by Imangi, who closed out seven innings. Taillon does not look as solid, making the Cardinals' win with odds of 2+ very appealing.

Total Match Prediction

Besides Jordan Wickes' injury, the Cubs have lost Ben Brown, who will be out for an extended period. This will affect the rotation time spent on the mound. Taillon is capable of long outings, and there are no questions about Mikolas. Bookmakers are expecting a high-scoring game, but my prediction is for the total to be under 9.5 runs.