The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees are set to clash on Sunday at Yankee Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET.
St. Louis (67-68 SU, 67-68 RL, and 63-68-4 O/U) will send right-hander Miles Mikolas to the mound. The 36-year-old has a record of 8-10, posting a 5.23 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP across 27 appearances this season.
New York (79-56 SU, 72-63 RL, and 73-57-5 O/U) will counter with left-hander Nestor Cortes. The 29-year-old boasts an 8-10 record with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in his 27 starts.
Michael Briggs continues his hot streak, currently at 17-4 in betting (12-4 in MLB Picks). His subscription packages are available on his premium package page. Stay updated by following him on Twitter!
*Article published before the conclusion of Saturday’s game.
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Mikolas’ Long Absence from Facing the Yankees
St. Louis dropped the first game of this series 6-3, failing to take advantage of nine hits against Yankees starter Marcus Stroman. The Cardinals hold a 31-36 record on the road this season and are 17-22 overall since the All-Star break.
St. Louis ranks 16th in on-base percentage (.311) and 21st in OPS (.700), with 138 home runs, placing them 23rd in the league. The team is led by shortstop Masyn Winn (.759 OPS and 4.7 WAR), third baseman Nolan Arenado (15 HR and .722 OPS), and right fielder Alec Burleson (21 HR and .775 OPS). The pitching staff has a 4.15 ERA, ranking 18th, and a 1.26 WHIP, sitting at 16th, with a 4.58 ERA this month.
Mikolas will take the mound for the Cardinals in the Bronx, marking his first appearance against the Yankees since 2014. In his last start, he allowed four runs on six hits over 5.2 innings against San Diego. This season, Mikolas has a 102:24 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 149.2 innings pitched, showcasing his ability to control the game despite the high ERA.
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Yankees’ Strong Performance in Day Games
The Yankees currently lead the AL East by 1.5 games over the Orioles. New York has a 37-29 record at home this season and is 21-16 in the second half of the year.
Key players for New York include center fielder Aaron Judge (51 HR and 123 RBI), right fielder Juan Soto (37 HR and 96 RBI), and shortstop Anthony Volpe (11 HR and 49 RBI). The Yankees rank 2nd in on-base percentage (.334) and are 1st in OPS (.774), leading the league with 209 home runs. Their pitching staff holds a 3.75 ERA, placing them 6th, and a 1.25 WHIP, which ranks 14th.
Cortes is set to start for New York. In his previous outing, he surrendered just one run on four hits while striking out five over 6.2 innings against Washington. He has a 5-5 record with a 2.79 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 13 starts at Yankee Stadium this year. Cortes faced the Cardinals once before, allowing two runs in 5.1 innings during a 2022 matchup. His current strikeout-to-walk ratio stands at 142:31 over 155 innings pitched this season.
Best Bets for St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Yankees
The Cardinals have struggled against left-handed pitchers, holding a batting average of .233 and an on-base percentage of .295. This trend suggests they may face challenges in outscoring the Yankees. Cortes has been particularly effective, allowing only one run in his last 20.2 innings, striking out 20 batters during that timeframe.
The Yankees have shown strong offensive capabilities, averaging 5.2 runs in day games. Their offensive metrics include a .263 batting average, a .339 on-base percentage, and a .464 slugging percentage, contributing to an OPS of .803. They have consistently scored 5.3 runs since the All-Star break. If they can pressure Mikolas early, they may exploit weaknesses in the Cardinals’ bullpen.
