NY Mets (10-8) at St Louis (10-8)
When: Friday, April 19th, 2019
Where: Busch Stadium,
St Louis, Missouri
Time: 8:15 ET | TV: MLB Network
Opening Odds: St Louis -145/9.5
Two teams going in opposite directions will open a three-game series at Busch Stadium Friday night as the St. Louis Cardinals host the struggling New York Mets. After a strong start to the season, New York has been taking it on the chin lately, dropping four of their last five to NL East-rivals Atlanta and Philadelphia. The Mets managed just five runs in losing both games to the Phillies and have played 16 of their first 18 games inside their own division. This will actually be New York’s first National League game outside the NL East until they host the Phillies starting Monday. St. Louis has been surging up the NL Central standings with wins in seven of their last 10 games despite a series loss in Milwaukee earlier this week. The Cardinals’ offense is averaging 5.8 runs a game of the last 10 including a 6-3 victory over the Brewers in their latest game on Wednesday. Outfielder Marcell Ozuna has a seven-game hitting streak and has six home runs in that span. St. Louis will look to keep that going against struggling left-hander Jason Vargas of the Mets on Friday, while the Cardinals counter with veteran Adam Wainwright.
Pitchers: Mets – Jason Vargas (1-0, 14.21 ERA) | Cardinals – Adam Wainwright (1-1, 3.94)
Vargas was dreadful in his latest outing against the Braves on Saturday, giving up four runs on two hits and three walks in one-third of an inning after a solid start against Miami on April 2nd. Another rough outing could get Vargas booted out of the rotation. The lefty has started four games for three different teams against St. Louis in his career with his teams going 1-3. The most recent was August of 2017 when the Cardinals hit him for six runs and eight hits in 4.2 innings while he was with Kansas City.
Wainwright has bounced back from a rough first outing to post back-to-back quality starts against the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds, allowing three earned runs and striking out 13 in 12 total innings against them. Wainwright won his two starts against New York in 2017 while posting a 2.19 ERA but did not see them last season.
The Cardinals should have no trouble feasting on the struggling Vargas tonight, while Wainwright has been solid in his last two outings and St. Louis is 5-1 the last six times he has started against the Mets.
Bobby Babowski has 4 free predictions on his Free MLB Picks page for Friday. He is 35-25 +513 Units on the season.
Pick: Cardinals -140
BETTING TRENDS:
Mets are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Mets are 22-8 in their last 30 games following a loss.
Mets are 19-7 in their last 26 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Mets are 8-3 in their last 11 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Mets are 6-14 in their last 20 vs. National League Central.
Mets are 2-5 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Mets are 1-4 in their last 5 road games.
Mets are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Mets are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Mets are 1-4 in their last 5 overall.
Mets are 1-4 in their last 5 games on grass.
Mets are 4-1 in Vargas’ last 5 starts.
Mets are 4-1 in Vargas’ last 5 starts on grass.
Mets are 2-6 in Vargas’ last 8 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Mets are 1-4 in Vargas’ last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
Cardinals are 5-0 in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Cardinals are 5-0 in their last 5 home games.
Cardinals are 5-1 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. National League East.
Cardinals are 6-2 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
Cardinals are 5-2 in their last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Cardinals are 7-3 in their last 10 overall.
Cardinals are 7-3 in their last 10 games on grass.
Cardinals are 11-5 in their last 16 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Cardinals are 2-6 in their last 8 during game 1 of a series.
Cardinals are 1-4 in their last 5 games following an off day.
Cardinals are 1-4 in their last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 42-15 in Wainwright’s last 57 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Cardinals are 21-8 in Wainwright’s last 29 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 41-16 in Wainwright’s last 57 home starts.
Cardinals are 5-2 in Wainwright’s last 7 starts.
Cardinals are 5-2 in Wainwright’s last 7 starts on grass.
Cardinals are 7-3 in Wainwright’s last 10 starts during game 1 of a series.
Cardinals are 37-16 in Wainwright’s last 53 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 42-19 in Wainwright’s last 61 starts vs. National League East.
Cardinals are 48-22 in Wainwright’s last 70 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Cardinals are 42-20 in Wainwright’s last 62 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 7-1-2 in Mets last 10 games following an off day.
Over is 6-1 in Mets last 7 games following a loss.
Under is 5-1-2 in Mets last 8 Friday games.
Over is 9-2-1 in Mets last 12 road games.
Over is 13-3-1 in Mets last 17 overall.
Over is 13-3-1 in Mets last 17 on grass.
Over is 4-1 in Mets last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Over is 4-1 in Mets last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-1-1 in Mets last 6 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Mets last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 7-2-1 in Mets last 10 during game 1 of a series.
Over is 6-2-1 in Mets last 9 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 9-3-1 in Mets last 13 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 3-0-1 in Vargas’ last 4 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance.
Over is 6-0 in Vargas’ last 6 road starts.
Over is 5-0-2 in Vargas’ last 7 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-0-1 in Vargas’ last 6 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-1-1 in Vargas’ last 7 starts during game 1 of a series.
Over is 5-1 in Vargas’ last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-2 in Vargas’ last 7 starts on grass.
Over is 5-2 in Vargas’ last 7 starts overall.
Over is 7-0 in Cardinals last 7 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 4-0 in Cardinals last 4 Friday games.
Over is 5-0 in Cardinals last 5 vs. National League East.
Over is 12-2 in Cardinals last 14 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Over is 11-2 in Cardinals last 13 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Cardinals last 6 games following an off day.
Over is 10-2 in Cardinals last 12 during game 1 of a series.
Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 13-4 in Cardinals last 17 games following a win.
Under is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 8-3 in Cardinals last 11 games vs. a left-handed starter.
Over is 21-8-1 in Cardinals last 30 overall.
Over is 21-8-1 in Cardinals last 30 on grass.
Over is 7-3-1 in Cardinals last 11 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Over is 9-4 in Cardinals last 13 home games.
Under is 9-0 in Wainwright’s last 9 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 7-1 in Wainwright’s last 8 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 12-3-1 in Wainwright’s last 16 starts vs. National League East.
Over is 3-1-2 in Wainwright’s last 6 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Over is 9-3-2 in Wainwright’s last 14 starts during game 1 of a series.
Over is 9-3 in Wainwright’s last 12 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 21-9-2 in Wainwright’s last 32 Friday starts.
Over is 15-7-1 in Wainwright’s last 23 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Cardinals are 5-1 in Wainwright’s last 6 starts vs. Mets.
Over is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Over is 6-2-1 in the last 9 meetings in St. Louis.
Mets are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings in St. Louis.
