The St. Louis Cardinals are set to face off against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game series beginning Friday at Chase Field in Phoenix, with the first pitch scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET. The Cardinals currently hold a 3-0 lead in the season series against the Diamondbacks.
In their last game before the All-Star break, the Cardinals secured a narrow 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves. José Fermin made his mark by hitting his first home run, contributing 2 RBIs, while Willson Contreras also achieved 2 RBIs with a double. Despite their recent struggles on the road, with a record of 1-5 in their last six contests, the Cardinals have shown offensive prowess, scoring at least five runs in four consecutive games, resulting in a recent trend of hitting the Over in betting lines.
On the other side, the Diamondbacks displayed resilience by bouncing back from earlier losses to secure a 5-1 victory against the Los Angeles Angels in their last game before the break. All-Star Eugenio Suarez had a strong performance, adding to his RBI total, which ties for third in the majors.
The projected starters for the matchup will be RHP Andre Pallante (5-5, 4.49 ERA) for the Cardinals and RHP Brandon Pfaadt (9-6, 5.16 ERA) for the Diamondbacks. Pallante aims to improve on his last outing where he allowed 7 runs against the Washington Nationals, while Pfaadt recently secured a win against the Padres, showing potential at home.
Betting odds reflect a competitive matchup, with the Cardinals at +110 and the Diamondbacks at -130. A recommendation for cautious bettors includes considering the Cardinals +1.5 spread or opting for straight bets, as the odds for the Over/Under are set at 8.5.
Overall, this weekend series presents an opportunity for both teams to gain traction in their respective standings, with the Cardinals looking to capitalize on their offensive momentum and the Diamondbacks eager to turn their home advantage to their favor. This matchup could prove critical as both teams strive to position themselves better as the season progresses.