Boston Red Sox vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 5/18/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Boston (-116) St. Louis (-102)

The St. Louis Cardinals (18-25) will try to beat the Boston Red Sox (22-22) at Busch Stadium on Saturday. The line on this matchup has Boston at -116 while St. Louis is at -102. The total is set at 8. The starting pitchers are Kutter Crawford and Miles Mikolas.

The Red Sox have hit 81 doubles as a team and have knocked 45 baseballs out of the park. Boston has a slugging percentage of .399 and have been called out on strikes 437 times, while drawing a walk on 139 occasions. As a team, the Boston Red Sox are earning 4.3 runs/g, which is 16th in the league. They have compiled 181 runs batted in and 363 hits over the course of the season, while their team batting average is sitting at .242. They have earned a total of 188 runs scored and hold an on-base percentage of .314.

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The Red Sox have an earned run average of 2.79 this season (1st in MLB), and the staff has rung up 377 batters. Red Sox pitchers have surrendered 36 home runs in addition to 159 runs in total (6th in MLB). They have walked 115 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 3.43 as a unit this season. Boston has conceded 327 hits (7.4 per 9 innings) and also 123 earned runs. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.28 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.12.

The Red Sox have dispatched 142 relievers to the hill this year. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 38 base runners for the season with 36.8% of them earned a run for their team. They have recorded 10 saves on the year and have not converted 9 of their 19 save chances. The Red Sox bullpen have recorded a save rate of 52.6% and has come into the game in 41 save situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 21 holds so far this season (23rd in the league). Red Sox relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on 32 times in addition to having 55 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Red Sox have turned 70.9% of balls hit into play into outs out of 3,567 innings on the diamond, which has them ranked 8th in baseball. The Boston Red Sox have accumulated 1,189 putouts so far this season, as well as 391 assists and 34 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .979 which ranks 29th in pro baseball, and they have turned 30 double plays.

Crawford has taken the ball for 261 innings and has racked up 266 K's in his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.24 (123 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.218. He has given up 235 base knocks (8.1 hits per nine innings) and has 83 free passes. Crawford (11-17 career win-loss record) holds a FIP of 3.80 and he has gone up against 1,089 opposing batters in the majors.

The Cardinals have a slugging percentage of .347 and they are earning 3.60 runs per game (29th in the league). They have recorded 68 doubles, while taking a walk 151 times as well as putting up 155 runs. St. Louis has accounted for 32 home runs for the season as well as 145 runs batted in. They have struck out on 373 occasions (15th in baseball) and have tallied 322 hits. The St. Louis Cardinals have earned a team OBP of .305 in addition to a team batting average of .225 on the campaign.

The Cardinals have a team WHIP of 1.326 in addition to having a FIP of 4.04 as a unit for the season. They rank 25th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 379. The St. Louis pitching staff have conceded 205 runs this season while holding a team ERA of 4.39 (185 earned runs relinquished). Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.60 (361 strikeouts vs 124 walks). They have surrendered 51 dingers and they give up 4.87 runs per 9 innings (23rd in baseball).

St. Louis relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 43.1% of 58 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 41 times in high leverage situations and on 43 occasions with runners on base. With 50 save situations, the Cardinals have compiled 32 holds and also 4 blown saves. They are currently ranked 1st in MLB holding a save rate of 77.8%, and they have dispatched 135 bullpen pitchers to the hill for the year. St. Louis has called on relievers to take the mound in 18 save opportunities and they have walked away with 14 saves.

Out of their 3,417 innings played, the Cardinals have a efficiency on defense of 68.0% (25th in professional baseball). The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten 44 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .989 (5th in professional baseball). The Cardinals have accrued 387 assists, 17 errors and have accumulated 1,139 putouts this season.

Mikolas (57-58 career record) has earned a 4.04 ERA and has surrendered 9.0 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.65 and he has faced 4,040 hitters in his pro baseball career. He has allowed 437 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.202 and a FIP of 4.1. So far in his MLB career, Mikolas has allowed 975 base hits while accumulating 708 strikeouts in 972 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take St. Louis (-102)

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