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Braves vs Cardinals Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks April 4
Cardinals Bid for Bounce-Back Performance
The Atlanta Braves try to make it two straight wins over the host St. Louis Cardinals when the two teams play the second of a three-game series on Tuesday night. Atlanta took the opener to rebound from its only loss of the season and is atop the National League East standings by a half-game over the New York Mets.
St. Louis dropped to .500 with Monday’s loss and is tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates for third in the NL Central, one game behind the division leaders. Both teams want to get off to good starts, so this game should be another battle. Check out our MLB betting preview of the contest to help with your betting online.
Acuna Shows Power in Braves’ Win
The Atlanta Braves have one of the bright young stars in the game in outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., and he seems to be back to his previous form after enduring injuries over the last two seasons. Acuna had a 3-for-4 night on Monday, hitting a single, double and three-run home run while also drawing a walk.
“I’m 100 percent healthy this year,” Acuna said after Monday’s win through a translator. “It’s completely different. I’m not battling any pain.”
Acuna is batting .353 through four games, hitting a pair of home runs, driving in four runs and scoring four times. He’s also walked three times to help set the table for the Atlanta offense.
Third baseman Austin Riley had his first home run of the season in Monday’s victory. Riley has started slow, hitting just .214 and striking out six times in 14 plate appearances, but he has a three-game hitting streak heading into Tuesday’s contest.
Left-hander Dylan Dodd is slated to make his major league debut on the mound in Tuesday’s contest. The 24-year-old had a solid spring training, recording a 2.00 ERA in 18 innings, so he’ll get his chance to show his stuff in this one.
Cardinals Need Better Pitching
The St. Louis Cardinals haven’t exactly had top-notch pitching so far. Although they’re 2-2, they’ve allowed at least four runs in three of their four contests and rank near the bottom of baseball in both team ERA (5.75) and walks allowed (19).
Left-hander Steven Matz will make the start in Tuesday’s game. The 31-year-old started in 10 of his 15 appearances a season ago, finishing with a 5-3 mark and 5.25 ERA while striking out 54 in 48 innings.
Reigning NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt has picked up where he left off last season, coming into Tuesday’s contest with a .500 batting average. Goldschmidt has recorded two hits in all four games and had his first home run of the campaign in Monday’s loss.
Third baseman Nolan Gorman has been making MLB news for the Cardinals, hitting .500 and leading the team with six RBIs. Gorman is also tied for the team lead with two home runs and has scored three times.
Braves vs Cardinals Game Injuries
Braves vs Cardinals Head-To-Head
The Atlanta Braves have had the edge over the St. Louis Cardinals in recent years, winning the last four season series. Atlanta took four of the seven matchups in 2022, though it had a losing record on the road against St. Louis for the first time in four seasons.
The Cardinals did take the most recent playoff series between the two clubs, winning 3-2 in a National League Division Series in 2019. The MLB lines for Tuesday’s contest are favoring St. Louis to pick up the win at home.
Braves vs Cardinals Game Information
- Game: Braves (3-1) vs Cardinals (2-2)
- Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
- Day/Time: Tuesday, April 4, 7:45 p.m. ET
- Braves vs. Cardinals Live Stream: MLB.tv
Braves vs Cardinals Betting Lines
Braves vs Cardinals Picks and Prediction
Look at any sportsbook and you’ll see these two teams among the top contenders in the National League. The Atlanta Braves are going with a rookie in his first major league appearance in this one, and that’s going to be the difference as the St. Louis Cardinals put some runs on the board and pick up the win.
When doing your MLB betting, take St. Louis to win and cover at home.
Cleveland is listed at -150 in our Las Vegas MLB lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Guardians, you have a chance to win $67. Oakland is +135, offering a chance to win $135 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Guardians a 60.00% chance to win, with the Athletics at 42.55%.
