Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 5/21/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Friday, May 21, 2021

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-107) St. Louis (-103)

Busch Stadium is the venue where Carlos Martinez and the St. Louis Cardinals (25-18, 1st in NL Central) will take on the Chicago Cubs (21-21, 2nd in NL Central) on Friday. The Cardinals open this game at -103 while the Cubs are priced at -107. The total has been set at 8. The pitchers taking the mound are Kyle Hendricks and Carlos Martinez.

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As a squad, the Chicago Cubs are scoring 4.6 runs per contest, which is 8th in baseball. They have notched a total of 190 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .321. The Cubs have accounted for 61 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 50 baseballs out of the stadium. They have amassed 183 RBI's as well as 319 base knocks so far this season, while their average at the plate sits at .238. Chicago is slugging .409 and have been called out on strikes 400 times, while drawing a walk on 144 occasions.

The Cubs are sitting with a team ERA of 4.26 on the season (19th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 374 batters. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.34 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.37. Cubs pitchers have allowed 52 home runs in addition to 185 total runs (17th in baseball). They have walked 160 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.54 as a squad this season.

Cubs bullpen pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 51 times in addition to having 57 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 30 holds so far this year (2nd in the league). The Cubs relief pitchers have recorded a save rate of 66.7% and stepped onto the hill in 46 save situations. They have earned 10 saves so far this season and have blown 5 of 15 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 77 base runners for the season with 28.6% of them crossed the plate. The Cubs have sent 161 relief pitchers to the hill this season.

The Chicago Cubs have accounted for 1,090 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 410 assists and 20 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .987 which has them ranked 4th in baseball, and have accumulated 261 double plays. The Cubs have converted 69.1% of baseballs in play into outs out of 3,270 innings, which has them ranked 20th in the majors.

Hendricks has taken the mound for 1,090 frames and has totaled 920 strikeouts in his MLB career. His ERA is 3.20 (388 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.122. He has given up 987 base knocks (8.1 hits per nine innings) and has 236 walks. Hendricks (72-52 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 3.62 and he has gone up against 4,427 opposing batters during his time in the majors.

The St. Louis Cardinals have accumulated an OBP of .307 in addition to a batting average of .234 for the year. They have been rung up on 348 instances (22nd in MLB) and have earned 321 base hits. St. Louis has a total of 54 home runs so far this year and 172 RBIs. The Cardinals have a team slugging percentage of .400 and they score 4.40 runs per game (14th in baseball). They have 57 doubles, while walking 127 times as well as racking up 185 runs.

The Cardinals hold a team WHIP of 1.313 in addition to having a FIP of 4.05 as a team for the season. They rank 8th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 296. The St. Louis pitching staff have conceded 168 runs this year while having a team ERA of 3.83 (156 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 1.80 (334 strikeouts vs 186 walks). They have relinquished 28 dingers and they relinquish 4.12 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league).

St. Louis has had relievers step onto the mound in 16 save chances and they have earned 14 saves. They rank 2nd in the league with a save percentage of 87.5%, and they have dispatched 138 bullpen pitchers onto the field for the year. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 31 times in high leverage situations and on 41 occasions with runners on base. St. Louis bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 42.9% out of 77 inherited base runners. With 38 save situations, the Cardinals have tallied 21 holds in addition to 2 blown saves.

In their 3,303 innings on the diamond, the Cardinals are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 71.9% (5th in professional baseball). The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 32 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .985 (10th in baseball). The Cardinals have 349 assists, 22 errors and have accumulated 1,101 putouts during this campaign.

Martinez (61-47 mark in his career) holds a 3.55 earned run average while conceding 8.2 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 2.54 and he has faced 3,931 batters in his career. He has surrendered a total of 365 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.288 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.6. So far in his MLB career, Martinez has given up 842 base knocks while accumulating 892 strikeouts in 926 innings pitched.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take St. Louis (-103)

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