Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 5/21/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Sunday, May 21, 2023

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Los Angeles (-150) St. Louis (+130)

The St. Louis Cardinals (19-27) will compete against the Los Angeles Dodgers (29-17) at Busch Stadium on Sunday. The moneyline on this matchup has the Dodgers at -150 and the Cardinals are opening at +130. The over/under is set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Clayton Kershaw and Jack Flaherty.

The Dodgers have accrued 86 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 75 balls out of the stadium. Los Angeles has a slugging % of .448 and have struck out 412 times, while taking a walk on 205 occasions. As a squad, the Los Angeles Dodgers are notching 5.4 runs per game, which ranks them 4th in the league. They have accumulated 244 runs batted in in addition to 355 base knocks on the year, and their team batting average comes in at .232. They have 250 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .326.

Get all of our MLB Picks

The Dodgers have a team ERA of 4.10 over the course of the season (15th in MLB), and their staff has rung up 388 batters. Dodgers pitchers have conceded 53 long balls and 196 total runs (15th in the league). They have walked 127 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.15 as a team this season. Los Angeles has surrendered 374 base knocks (8.3 per 9 innings) in addition to 186 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.06 and the pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.23.

Dodgers bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with opponents on base 52 times in addition to having 40 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have accumulated 24 holds this year (13th in the league). The Dodgers bullpen have earned a save rate of 70.6% and has stepped onto the mound in 41 save situations. They have earned 12 saves over the course of the season and have not converted 5 out of their 17 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 82 runners on the season and 24.4% of them crossed the plate. The Dodgers have sent 156 relievers to the hill on the campaign.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have notched a total of 1,224 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 394 assists and 22 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .987 which has them sitting 14th in baseball, and they have twisted 35 double plays. The Dodgers have converted 70.2% of balls hit into play into outs in their 3,672 innings, which has them ranked 10th in pro baseball.

Kershaw has pitched in 2,634 innings and is sitting with 2,870 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 2.48 (726 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.002. He has surrendered 1,999 hits (6.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 640 free passes. Kershaw (203-90 career win-loss record) holds a FIP of 2.77 while he has gone up against 10,373 batters during his time in the majors.

St. Louis has 65 home runs so far this season as well as 221 runs batted in. They have hit 80 two-baggers, while getting a free base 164 times and scoring 229 runs. The St. Louis Cardinals have compiled an OBP of .333 as well as a batting average of .261 on the year. The Cardinals have a SLG% of .438 and they average 4.98 runs per contest (9th in the league). They have struck out on 373 instances (22nd in baseball) and have 415 base hits.

The Cardinals have a WHIP of 1.456 and have a FIP of 4.35 as a team so far this year. They are currently ranked 29th in the league as a staff in total hits allowed with 422. The St. Louis pitching staff have surrendered 217 runs this season while having an ERA of 4.29 (193 earned runs surrendered). Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.90 (400 strikeouts against 168 walks). They have surrendered 52 dingers and they concede 4.82 runs per 9 innings (19th in the league).

With 40 save situations, the Cardinals have earned 21 holds and 11 blown saves. St. Louis has had relief pitchers enter the game in 19 save opportunities and they have tallied 8 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 48 times in high leverage situations in addition to 57 occasions with runners on. St. Louis bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 31.5% of 92 inherited base runners. They rank 29th in the league with a save rate of 42.1%, and they have dispatched 144 relievers onto the field this year.

The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 48 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .988 (8th in baseball). The Cardinals have recorded 441 assists, 20 errors and have amassed 1,217 putouts on the season. In 3,651 innings played, the Cardinals have earned a efficiency on defense of 66.4% (29th in baseball).

In his MLB career, Flaherty has surrendered 436 hits while earning 649 strikeouts in 569 frames. He has given up a total of 225 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.146 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.0. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.99 and he has gone up against 2,342 batters in his MLB career. Flaherty (37-29 career mark) holds a 3.55 earned run average and has allowed 6.9 hits per nine innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take St. Louis (+130)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here