Washington (82-66) at St Louis (83-66)
When: Monday, September 16, 2019
Where: Busch Stadium,
St Louis, Missouri
Time: 7:45 ET | TV: MLB Network
Opening Odds: Washington -115/8
A couple of struggling playoff contenders will begin a three-game series on Monday night as the Washington Nationals visit the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium – a game that can be seen on MLB Network. The Nationals were soaring to the top of the National League wild card standings while at the same time, the Cardinals were doing the same in the NL Central race. Both clubs still hold leads in their respective chases, but the its starting to shrink. St. Louis is now just two games up on the hard-charging Chicago Cubs and three games ahead of equally hot Milwaukee in the race for the division crown. The Cardinals suffered a 7-6 setback to the Brewers on Sunday in losing two of the three in the weekend series and four of six overall. Harrison Bader mashed a pair of homers and Tommy Edman joined Paul DeJong with a two-run shot, but Ryan Braun got the last laugh with a ninth-inning grand slam that helped Milwaukee to the 7-6 victory. Bader has three homers and scored six runs over his last four games while Edman has gone deep four times while hitting safely in nine of his last 10 contests. Washington won for just the fourth time in 11 games on Sunday to maintain its 1.5-game edge over the Cubs for the first wild card. Howie Kendrick collected three hits including a home run in Sunday’s 7-0 triumph over Atlanta, while Victor Robles is 7-for-13 with three doubles and four runs during his four-game hitting streak.
Pitchers: Nationals – Stephen Strasburg (17-6, 3.49 ERA) | Cardinals – Dakota Hudson (15-7, 3.38)
Strasburg now has a career-high 17 wins after beating Minnesota 6-2 on Wednesday and will see the Cardinals for the second time this season. The 31-year-old righty allowed two runs and four hits in six innings in beating Minnesota and one run and six hits in 6.2 frames of a 2-1 win on May 2nd against St. Louis. Strasburg is 7-2 overall since the All-Star break and 8-4 away from home.
Hudson has been terrific since the middle of August, posting four scoreless outings, while the Cardinals have gone 6-1 in his last seven starts. The lone loss in that stretch came Wednesday despite the righty allowing just two runs and four hits in six innings of a 3-1 setback at Colorado. Hudson, who is 8-2 at home, lost to Strasburg on May 2nd despite allowing just two runs and four hits in six innings.
Hudson has been much better at home, where the Cardinals are 12-3 when he starts, while the Nats are just 10-7 in Strasburg’s road starts. Hudson might not be as good as Strasburg, but he’s no slouch either. Four scoreless outings in his last six starts can attest to that. I’m going to take the home dog here in what should be a tight game. I trust St. Louis’ bullpen more than Washington’s.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Monday. He is 129-88 +2828 units on the season after a 30-15 run!
Pick: Cardinals +125
BETTING TRENDS:
Nationals are 5-1 in their last 6 Monday games.
Nationals are 13-3 in their last 16 vs. National League Central.
Nationals are 24-9 in their last 33 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Nationals are 22-10 in their last 32 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 games following a win.
Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 0-4 in their last 4 during game 1 of a series.
Nationals are 5-0 in Strasburg’s last 5 Monday starts.
Nationals are 18-5 in Strasburg’s last 23 starts vs. National League Central.
Nationals are 39-12 in Strasburg’s last 51 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 42-13 in Strasburg’s last 55 starts with 4 days of rest.
Nationals are 6-2 in Strasburg’s last 8 starts during game 1 of a series.
Nationals are 41-14 in Strasburg’s last 55 road starts.
Nationals are 55-22 in Strasburg’s last 77 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Nationals are 85-34 in Strasburg’s last 119 starts.
Nationals are 85-34 in Strasburg’s last 119 starts on grass.
Nationals are 36-15 in Strasburg’s last 51 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 37-16 in Strasburg’s last 53 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Nationals are 38-17 in Strasburg’s last 55 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Nationals are 30-14 in Strasburg’s last 44 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Nationals are 35-17 in Strasburg’s last 52 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cardinals are 8-1 in their last 9 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 9-2 in their last 11 games following a loss.
Cardinals are 7-2 in their last 9 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 6-2 in their last 8 during game 1 of a series.
Cardinals are 9-3 in their last 12 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 20-7 in their last 27 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Cardinals are 23-9 in their last 32 home games.
Cardinals are 25-11 in their last 36 overall.
Cardinals are 25-11 in their last 36 games on grass.
Cardinals are 48-23 in their last 71 Monday games.
Cardinals are 1-7 in their last 8 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Cardinals are 4-0 in Hudson’s last 4 starts vs. National League East.
Cardinals are 5-0 in Hudson’s last 5 home starts.
Cardinals are 4-0 in Hudson’s last 4 starts with 4 days of rest.
Cardinals are 8-1 in Hudson’s last 9 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 8-1 in Hudson’s last 9 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 5-1 in Hudson’s last 6 starts during game 1 of a series.
Cardinals are 9-2 in Hudson’s last 11 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cardinals are 11-3 in Hudson’s last 14 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Cardinals are 9-3 in Hudson’s last 12 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Cardinals are 19-7 in Hudson’s last 26 starts.
Cardinals are 19-7 in Hudson’s last 26 starts on grass.
Over is 5-0 in Nationals last 5 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 during game 1 of a series.
Over is 6-2-1 in Nationals last 9 vs. National League Central.
Under is 5-2 in Nationals last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-2 in Nationals last 7 road games.
Under is 5-2 in Nationals last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Under is 7-3 in Nationals last 10 overall.
Under is 7-3 in Nationals last 10 on grass.
Under is 7-3 in Nationals last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-1 in Strasburg’s last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.
Under is 4-1 in Strasburg’s last 5 starts on grass.
Over is 4-1 in Strasburg’s last 5 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Strasburg’s last 5 starts overall.
Under is 16-6-1 in Strasburg’s last 23 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 12-5-1 in Strasburg’s last 18 starts during game 1 of a series.
Under is 7-3 in Strasburg’s last 10 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 9-4-1 in Strasburg’s last 14 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Over is 4-0 in Cardinals last 4 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games.
Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 games following a loss.
Under is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 vs. National League East.
Under is 7-2 in Cardinals last 9 Monday games.
Under is 10-3 in Cardinals last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 12-4 in Cardinals last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 6-2-1 in Cardinals last 9 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 18-7-1 in Cardinals last 26 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Under is 18-7-1 in Cardinals last 26 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-2-1 in Cardinals last 8 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 during game 1 of a series.
Under is 34-16-1 in Cardinals last 51 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 4-0 in Hudson’s last 4 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-0 in Hudson’s last 4 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Hudson’s last 6 starts with 4 days of rest.
Under is 4-1 in Hudson’s last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Under is 8-2 in Hudson’s last 10 home starts.
Under is 9-3 in Hudson’s last 12 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Under is 6-2-1 in Hudson’s last 9 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 8-3-1 in Hudson’s last 12 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Hudson’s last 7 starts on grass.
Over is 5-2 in Hudson’s last 7 starts during game 1 of a series.
Under is 5-2 in Hudson’s last 7 starts overall.
Under is 5-2 in Hudson’s last 7 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Nationals are 4-1 in Strasburg’s last 5 starts vs. Cardinals.
Over is 6-2-5 in the last 13 meetings in St. Louis.
Under is 5-2 in Strasburg’s last 7 starts vs. Cardinals.
Nationals are 16-35 in the last 51 meetings in St. Louis.
Nationals are 1-5 in the last 6 meetings.
