St. Louis Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Odds, Preview, & Prediction | Tuesday, June 7th

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Rays Preview: Expect a tight game

The St. Louis Cardinals will hit the road to take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the first game of a three-game stint. Both of these teams have been very solid this season and will look to continue their success. If you want betting action on the game, you have come to the right place!

Below, you will find a brief preview of each team followed by a prediction for the game.

St. Louis Cardinals Preview:

"HAPPY FLIGHT" - @ Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals come into this game on a two-game win streak. They played an extremely competitive series against the Chicago Cubs and ended up winning their last two games in extra innings. As of late, the Cardinals offense has been clicking with Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt leading the way. Goldschmidt leads St. Louis in all three major hitting statistics: batting average, home runs, and runs batted-in. Behind this success, the Cardinals rank fifth in the MLB in many major offensive categories. The offense also scores 4.89 runs per game, which ranks fourth in the league.

The Cardinals will send Dakota Hudson to the mound tonight. Hudson has been very solid to start the year with a 4-2 record and a 2.96 ERA. He has found consistency now that he is a solidified part of the rotation, giving up less than four earned runs in every start but one. The Tampa Bay Rays have a solid offense, but it's not overpowering. If Hudson can find ways to limit hard contact, the Cardinals could be in prime position to win this game.

Tampa Bay Rays Preview:

"Day off tomorrow before the Cardinals come to town." - @ Tampa Bay Rays

A key part of the Tampa Bay Rays' good start has been their pitching. Tampa ranks fourth in the MLB in team ERA and also ranks in the top 10 in the bullpen ERA. So, the pitching has been getting the job done. However, the offense has struggled to consistently put up runs.

Jeffrey Springs will get the start for the Rays. Springs has been both a bullpen pitcher and a starter this season, but the injuries the Rays have been dealing with have forced him into a rotation spot. Springs' 1.88 ERA through 38.1 innings of work is very good. In fact, he hasn't given up more than three runs in any appearance this season. Although he has been effective, he has a tough matchup with the Cardinals tonight.

Tampa Bay Rays offense ranks in the bottom half of the league in terms of team batting average and runs per game, so the pitching has really had their work cut out for them lately. To come out of this game with a win, the Rays hitters will need to find ways to produce with runners on base.

Pick/Prediction: Cardinals F5 +0.5 (-110)

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the best teams in the league against left-handed pitching. They are hitting .274 as a team against lefties with an OPS of .786. These numbers are among the best in the major leagues and they should be able to produce some runs early. We're going with the Cardinals to have the game tied or lead after five innings!