The Washington Nationals (37-54) and St. Louis Cardinals (49-43) will meet in the MLB tonight. First pitch from Busch Stadium is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET. The game will broadcast live on MASN.
Yesterday, the Cardinals won the opener of this 3-game series. Today, Andre Pallante and MacKenzie Gore will start for St. Louis and Washington, respectively. The Cardinals are -135 favorites to win outright, while the Nationals are +115 to pull off the upset.
Continue below for my Nationals vs Cardinals predictions and MLB betting preview for Wednesday, July 9, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
Nationals vs Cardinals Prediction, Picks
- Nationals vs Cardinals pick: Willson Contreras Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI (-115)
My Cardinals vs. Nationals best bet is Willson Contreras Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs, with the best line currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Nationals vs Cardinals Odds for Wednesday, July 9
| Nationals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -200 | 8 +100o / -120u | +115 |
| Cardinals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +165 | 8 +100o / -120u | -135 |
Washington Nationals vs St. Louis Cardinals MLB Preview
MacKenzie Gore has been solid, and his numbers clearly show it. However, he can occasionally suffer a major setback, as the Dodgers proved on June 20 when they scored six runs off him.
Another team that also got the best of him this season was St. Louis.
The only time the lefty faced them, on May 11, the Cardinals scored four runs on five hits, and Gore issued three walks.
Today, Andre Pallante will be the starter for St. Louis and he's coming off a fantastic outing where he only allowed one hit and pitched seven scoreless innings.
Alright, it was against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but it was still impressive.
More importantly, Pallante also had a great game against the Nationals on May 10, allowing two runs and five hits across 7 1/3 innings while striking out seven batters.
Nationals vs Cardinals Betting Predictions
Gore has worse splits facing right-handed batters, and the Cardinals' lineup features one player who does particularly well against the Nats' lefty: Willson Contreras.
The former catcher-turned-first baseman has a .615 average and a .1667 OPS versus Gore over 13 at-bats, with a homer and three runs batted in.
Against lefties in general, Contreras has a .370 OBP and .511 slugging, resulting in an .881 OPS, which is a good reason to back him today.
Nationals vs Cardinals Best Bet
- Willson Contreras Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-115)
Nationals vs Cardinals Betting Trends
For the latest on MLB injuries, be sure to check out our MLB Injury Report page.
