Cardinals vs. Braves: NLDS Game 1 MLB Picks and Predictions

Four had fallen straight till they snapped with a 9-0 thrashing of the Cubs in their season finale. Despite their latest freefall, St. Louis still managed to lay claim to the NL Central crown and must now traveling to Atlanta to meet the NL East champs.
The Cards and the Braves met in May if Atlanta took two of three in the home and then traveled to St. Louis a couple of weeks later with the exact very same outcomes. In general, the Braves hold a edge over the Cardinals in their meetings this year.
Within this late afternoon matchup, the Cards will ship Miles Mikolas (9-14, 4.16 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) to the bulge where he’ll attempt to hold the Braves in bay for six to seven innings prior to the aid corps takes place.
The 31-year-old veteran final took the hill on September 22nd and held the Cubs to two runs (one earned) over seven-plus innings in a 3-2 Cardinals’ victory. Mikolas finished the regular season in an uptick with a 1-1 record and a 3.34 ERA finished his five starts in September.
Atlanta will turn into Dallas Keuchel (8-8, 3.75 ERA, 1.37 WHIP), who they signed midseason out of free service, to open their postseason this afternoon.
The veteran southpaw was a solid member of the rotation for St. Louis but also has since dropped his last 3 starts and surrendered a joint 12 runs on 21 hits over 16 innings of work. In August of 2016, Keuchel pitched against the Cards as a part of the Astros and allowed six runs.
The MLB chances are showing the Braves as anywhere from -137 to -146 home favorites in this matchup but I believe that is giving St. Louis backers quite a lot of value here.
Let’s not forget that Atlanta has just two key offensive performers recovering from disorders in the kinds of outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (groin) and also slugger Freddie Freeman (bone spur in right leg ). Both will play in the modern game but are currently battling with injuries which should adversely affect their production.
Additionally, I like the way St. Louis’ Miles Mikolas has rounded into form as the season wound versus what seems to be a gassed Dallas Keuchel.
Regardless of the early-season fights on the road of Mikolas, he’s turned that around more than his past four looks from Busch Stadium by allowing a joint six earned runs across 23 and innings of work where the Cardinals won all four of those games.
Let’s take the oddsmakers are providing us and back the road dog and watch the Cardinals move out into a 1-0 edge in the NLDS.
Rating: Cardinals 6 — Braves 4
Free MLB Select: Cardinals +132 at 5Dimes

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