Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 8/18/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Sunday, August 18, 2024

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Spectrum SportsNet LA

The Los Angeles Dodgers (71-51) are traveling to Busch Stadium on Sunday where they will try to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals (60-61). The pitchers who are expected to start are Clayton Kershaw and Sonny Gray.

Los Angeles has a slugging % of .433 and have been called out on strikes 1,029 times, while drawing a walk on 459 occasions. They have recorded 584 RBI's in addition to 1,050 hits so far this season, while their average at the plate comes in at .253. The Dodgers have hit 226 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 162 balls out of the park. They have racked up 602 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .331. As a unit, the Los Angeles Dodgers are notching 4.9 runs per game, which puts them at 5th in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.84 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.21. Dodgers pitchers have relinquished 147 home runs and also 500 runs in total (9th in baseball). Los Angeles has surrendered 949 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) and also 454 earned runs. The Dodgers have a team ERA of 3.75 for the year (7th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 1,053 batters. They have walked 371 players from the other team and their FIP is 4.14 as a squad this season.

The Dodgers relief pitchers have a save percentage of 59.7% and has come into the game in 140 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 128 base runners so far this year with 32.0% of those players ended up crossing the plate. Dodgers relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 95 times and also have had 140 appearances in high leverage situations. The Dodgers have sent 411 relievers to the mound so far this year. The bullpen have earned 75 holds this year (6th in the league). They have accumulated 37 saves so far this year and have blown 25 of their 62 save chances.

The Dodgers have transformed 71.3% of baseballs in play into outs in their 9,807 innings, which has them ranked 2nd in baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers have accounted for 3,269 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 1,043 assists and 60 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .986 which is 10th in pro baseball, and have a total of 87 double plays.

Kershaw has taken the mound for 2,730 frames and has accounted for 2,961 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career. Kershaw (211-94 career win-loss mark) has a FIP of 2.45 and he has gone up against 10,764 hitters in the major leagues. His ERA is 2.49 (754 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.007. He has allowed 2,075 base hits (6.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 674 free passes.

St. Louis has knocked in 123 home runs on the year as well as 469 runs batted in. They have hit 181 doubles, while walking 344 times as well as putting up 496 runs. The St. Louis Cardinals have accounted for an OBP of .309 as well as a batting average of .246 on the year. The Cardinals have a slugging percentage of .386 and they average 4.10 runs per outing (24th in the league). They have been rung up on 1,000 instances (20th in the league) and are sitting with 1,008 base hits.

The Cardinals hold a team WHIP of 1.275 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.04 as a team on the campaign. They are sitting at 24th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 1,035. The St. Louis pitching staff have conceded 559 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 4.19 (500 earned runs given up). Their K/BB ratio is 8.00 (961 strikeouts vs 336 walks). They have conceded 135 home runs and they give up 4.68 runs per 9 innings (21st in baseball).

With 145 save situations, the Cardinals have accrued 85 holds and also 19 blown saves. St. Louis has had relievers step onto the hill in 60 save opportunities and they have walked away with 41 saves. Their relief pitchers have come in 133 times in high leverage situations in addition to 118 occasions with runners on base. St. Louis relievers have an inherited score percentage of 37.4% out of 163 inherited runners. They rank 5th in MLB with a save percentage of 68.3%, and they have sent 379 relievers to the hill this season.

In their 9,681 innings played, the Cardinals are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 69.4% (20th in pro baseball). The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten 116 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .988 (4th in baseball). The Cardinals have accrued 1,127 assists, 55 errors and have notched a total of 3,227 putouts during this campaign.

Gray (109-92 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a 3.51 earned run average and has allowed 7.7 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.93 and he has gone up against 7,054 opposing hitters during his career. He has surrendered 663 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.195 and a FIP of 3.5. During his pro baseball career, Gray has conceded 1,458 base knocks while totaling 1,683 strikeouts in 1,701 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Los Angeles

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