Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 5/18/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Thursday, May 18, 2023

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Busch Stadium is the location where the St. Louis Cardinals (17-26) will try to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers (27-16) on Thursday. The pitchers taking the mound will be Julio Urias and Adam Wainwright.

The Dodgers have hit 79 doubles as a unit and have hit 71 baseballs out of the stadium. Los Angeles has a slugging rate of .447 and have been called out on strikes 390 times, while taking a walk on 191 occasions. As a squad, the Los Angeles Dodgers are compiling 5.4 runs per contest, which ranks them 4th in MLB. They have earned 224 runs batted in and 327 hits for the season, and their batting average comes in at .230. They have earned 230 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .324.

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They have earned a K/BB ratio of 3.15 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.23. Dodgers pitchers have relinquished 44 home runs and 177 runs in total (11th in baseball). Los Angeles has conceded 352 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) as well as 168 earned runs. The Dodgers have an ERA of 3.96 for the season (10th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 365 hitters. They have walked 116 opposing players and their FIP is 3.94 as a unit on the season.

Dodgers bullpen pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 49 times as well as having 35 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers are sitting with 22 holds so far this year (16th in the league). The Dodgers relievers have recorded a save rate of 70.6% and has entered the game in 39 save situations. They have compiled 12 saves this season and have blown 5 of their 17 save chances. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 76 runners over the course of the season and 23.7% of those players ended up crossing the plate. The Dodgers have sent 144 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of the season.

The Dodgers have transformed 69.7% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 3,438 innings on the field, which has them sitting at 12th in professional baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers have notched a total of 1,146 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 373 assists and 18 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .988 which has them ranked 9th in the majors, and have a total of 34 double plays.

Urias has thrown 652 innings and has racked up 645 strikeouts in his pro baseball career. Urias (54-20 career mark) sits with a FIP of 3.51 while he has gone up against 2,645 opposing batters in the majors. His earned run average is 2.88 (209 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.092. He has given up 534 base hits (7.4 hits per nine innings) with 178 walks.

The Cardinals have a slugging percentage of .436 and they average 4.88 runs per game (9th in the league). They have hit 79 two-baggers, while walking 153 times as well as notching 210 runs. St. Louis has compiled 57 home runs for the year as well as 204 RBIs. They have been rung up on 352 instances (22nd in MLB) and have totaled 393 hits. The St. Louis Cardinals have tallied an OBP of .335 in addition to a batting average of .263 this season.

The Cardinals have a WHIP of 1.452 in addition to having a FIP of 4.34 as a unit for the season. They are currently ranked 29th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 396. The St. Louis pitching staff have surrendered 204 runs so far this year while having a team ERA of 4.43 (186 earned runs given up). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.90 (375 strikeouts against 153 walks). They have conceded 49 homers and they allow 4.85 runs per 9 innings (20th in MLB).

Sitting with 35 save situations, the Cardinals have amassed 17 holds and also 11 blown saves. St. Louis has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the contest in 18 save opportunities and they have earned 7 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 44 times in high leverage situations and on 53 occasions with runners on. St. Louis relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 31.4% out of 86 inherited base runners. They rank 29th in the league with a save percentage of 38.9%, and they have sent 134 relievers to the hill on the season.

Out of their 3,408 innings played, the Cardinals are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 66.2% (29th in professional baseball). The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten 47 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .989 (7th in pro baseball). The Cardinals have racked up 421 assists, 17 errors and have 1,136 putouts on the campaign.

Wainwright (195-117 mark in his career) has a 3.39 earned run average while allowing 8.5 hits per 9 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.09 and he has faced 10,677 hitters in his career. He has given up 972 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.218 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.5. So far in his pro baseball career, Wainwright has given up 2,441 base hits while he has accumulated 2,154 K's in 2,577 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take St. Louis

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