Tampa Bay Rays vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction 8-8-23 MLB Picks

The St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays meet Tuesday in MLB action from Tropicana Field. The Cardinals are coming off a weekend series versus the Rockies, losing two of three games. As for Tampa Bay, they played the Tigers over the weekend and managed to win two of the three matchups. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place. 

St. Louis Cardinals 

The Cardinals didn’t play especially well over the weekend. St. Louis beat the Rockies 6-2 in the Saturday game but otherwise took losses 9-4 and 1-0 in that series. In the low-scoring Sunday defeat, St. Louis had eight team hits (each by a different player) and couldn’t cash in on anything. The bullpen was solid however, on 5.0 scoreless innings, three hits, no walks and five Ks. 

In the starter role for Tuesday’s matchup it’ll be Miles Mikolas. In his 24 starts this year Mikolas is 6-7 with a 4.29 ERA and 94 Ks in 134.1 innings. Mikolas is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in his last seven starts, posting 15 earned in 35.0 total frames. 

St. Louis Cardinals Team Facts

• The Cardinals have lost each of their last eight road games following a home loss.
• The Cardinals have covered the run line in each of their last eight games as road underdogs.
• The Cardinals have led after 5 innings in four of their last six games as road underdogs.
• The Cardinals have trailed after 7 innings in each of their last five games at Tropicana Field against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
• The 'Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs' market has hit in each of the Cardinals' last seven games against American League opponents.

St. Louis Cardinals Player Prop Facts

• Nolan Arenado has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 13 appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
• Willson Contreras has recorded two or more total bases in each of his last six appearances with his team as an underdog against AL East opponents.
• Miles Mikolas has recorded five or more strikeouts in five of his last six appearances with his team as an underdog against AL opponents.
• Nolan Arenado has hit a home run in five of his last six road appearances against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
• Nolan Arenado has scored at least one run in each of his last seven appearances against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
• Nolan Arenado has recorded at least one RBI in six of his last seven appearances with the Cardinals as road underdogs.

Tampa Bay Rays

Over on the Tampa Bay side, they lost their Saturday game 4-2 versus the Tigers. The other two matchups in that set were victories 8-0 and 10-6, however. The Rays’ Yandy Diaz (three hits; three run), Wander Franco (three hits; two runs) and Josh Lowe (two hits) each notched a pair of RBI in the Sunday victory. 

Zach Eflin will take the mound for the Rays on Tuesday. Across his 21 starts so far Eflin is 12-6 with a 3.46 ERA and 121 Ks in 122.1 innings. Eflin is 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA in his last seven starts. He’s got 37 Ks in 39.0 innings during that stretch. 

Tampa Bay Rays Team Facts

• The Rays have won each of their last eight home games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Rays have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last nine night games against NL Central opponents following a road win.
  The Rays have trailed after 3 innings in three of their last four games as favourites against NL Central opponents.
• The Rays have led after 7 innings in each of their last nine games against the Cardinals.
• The 'Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs' market has hit in each of the Rays' last four night games at Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay Rays Player Prop Facts

• Zach Eflin has recorded six or more strikeouts in each of his last five home appearances against NL Central opponents.
• Brandon Lowe has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances after not playing the previous day.
• Brandon Lowe has recorded at least one hit in each of his last seven appearances after not playing the previous day.
• Yandy Diaz has recorded two or more total bases in seven of his last eight home appearances against NL Central opponents.
• Brandon Lowe has scored at least one run in each of his last four appearances after not playing the previous day.
• Randy Arozarena has recorded at least one RBI in five of the Rays' last six night games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Zach Eflin ranks T3rd in the league for Wins (12) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Tampa Bay Rays ranks 1st in the league for opponent batting average this season (.230).
• The Tampa Bay Rays ranks 1st in the league for hits allowed this season (867).
• The St. Louis Cardinals ranks 1st in the league for home runs allowed this season (107).
• The St. Louis Cardinals ranks 29th in the league for opponent batting average this season (.271).

ANDREW’S FREE PICK 

I’m staying with the Rays. Eflin had a bad start versus Miami back on July 26 (4.0 innings; five earned during a loss) but in two of his last three he’s been great. In that pair combined Eflin is 2-0 with no earned, five hits and one walk in 13.0 innings. As for Mikolas, he’s coming off two earned in 7.0 innings during a loss to the Twins on August 1. St. Louis has been pretty erratic at the plate lately; they’ve hit three or fewer runs in seven of their last 10 games. As for the Rays, they scored 20 runs in three games versus the Tigers over the weekend and should come into this one hot.