St. Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros Prediction, 6/3/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets and Odds

Game: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Houston Astros

Date: Monday June 3, 2024

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas

TV: Space City domestic network

The Houston Astros (26-33) will try to beat the St. Louis Cardinals (27-29) at Minute Maid Park on Monday. Pitchers expected to start are Kyle Gibson and Justin Verlander.

The Cardinals compiled 88 double-baggers as a team and knocked 50 baseballs out of the park. St. Louis has a .367 strikeout rate and has been called out 482 times, while being walked 182 times. As a team, the St. Louis Cardinals score 3.9 points per game, which ranks them 26th in the league. They have accumulated 203 runs on 436 hits so far this year, and their team batting average is .233. They have totaled 216 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .307.

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The Cardinals compiled a team earned run average of 4.12 on the season (19th in the league), and their roster signed 462 batters. Cardinals pitchers have allowed 63 home runs and 258 total runs (16th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 164 batters and their FIP stands at 4.03 as a team for the year. St. Louis allowed 476 hits (8.7 in 9 innings) as well as 226 earned runs. Their strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2.82 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.30.

Cardinals relief pitchers recorded an 80.0% save rate and came into play in 68 save situations. Relief pitchers have inherited 72 runners so far this year and 38.9% of them have crossed the plate. Cardinals bullpen pitchers have competed with players on base 52 times and have also had 52 appearances in high-leverage situations. The Cardinals have sent 175 relief pitchers to the mound this season. Relievers have 43 catches so far this year (4th in baseball). They have recorded 20 saves so far this year and have missed 5 of 25 save opportunities.

The Cardinals have turned 68.6 percent of balls in play into outs in their 4,443 innings on the field, which ranks 24th in professional baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals have accumulated 1,481 putouts to this point in the season, along with 509 assists and 30 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .985, which ranks 11th in the majors, and they have turned in 58 double plays.

Gibson has thrown 1,761 frames and accumulated 1,411 Ks so far in his career. His ERA is 4.51 (882 ER allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.371. He allowed 1,801 hits (9.2 hits per nine innings) with 614 free passes. Gibson (108-102 career) had a 4.27 FIP while facing 7,542 opposing batters in the majors.

The Houston Astros have recorded a team OBP of .322 and a team batting average of .259 so far this year. They were called 399 times (30th in the league) and had 524 hits. Houston has a total of 72 home runs this season as well as 246 RBIs. The Astros have a team slugging percentage of .415 and score 4.36 runs per game (14th in MLB). They hit 90 double-baggers, while drawing 176 walks and driving in 257 runs.

Houston’s pitching staff has allowed 263 runs so far this season while holding a 4.27 ERA (248 earned runs given up). They have given up 64 runs and are conceding 4.53 runs per 9 innings (18th in the league). The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.342 in addition to having a FIP of 4.30 as a unit for the season. Their strikeout/walk ratio sits at 8.60 (501 strikeouts to 227 walks). They rank 15th in baseball as a team in total hits allowed with 474.

Houston asked relievers to enter the contest with 20 save chances and they came away with 10 saves. They rank 27th in baseball with a 50.0% save percentage, and they’ve sent 185 relievers to the mound this year. Their bullpen pitchers went up the hill 54 times in high-leverage situations, in addition to 32 times with runners on base. Houston’s relief pitchers hold a 30.0% inherited scoring rate on their 50 inherited runners. With 48 save situations, the Astros compiled 28 catches and 10 blown saves.

In 4,704 innings on the field, the Astros have a defensive efficiency of 69.9% (16th in MLB). The Houston Astros have made 55 double plays and have a defensive percentage of 0.987 (8th in MLB). The Astros accumulated 509 assists, 27 errors and 1,568 putouts during the season.

During his career, Verlander gave up 2,831 hits while collecting 3,386 K’s in 3,372 innings pitched. He allowed 1,214 earned runs while posting a 1.118 WHIP and 3.4 FIP. He has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.60 and has faced 13,741 opposing batters in his MLB career. Verlander (260-143 career win-loss record) has a 3.24 ERA while allowing 7.6 hits per nine innings.

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

Guy Bruhn’s choice: take Saint-Louis

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