MLB Game Preview: St. Louis Cardinals (23-19) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (24-17)

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The St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies continue their three-game series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM ET.

Team Overview & Recent Form

St. Louis Cardinals (23-19, 2nd in NL Central)

  • Last Five Games: Win, Win, Win, Win, Win
  • Road Record: 8-13
  • Batting Average: .267 (4th in NL)
  • Key Players:
  • Lars Nootbaar – Nine doubles, six home runs, batting .275.
  • Willson Contreras – Batting .375 in May with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
  • Nolan Arenado – Seven home runs, 16 RBIs, hitting .270.

Philadelphia Phillies (24-17, 1st in NL East)

  • Last Five Games: Win, Loss, Loss, Win, Win
  • Home Record: 13-7
  • Batting Average: .275 (6th in NL)
  • Key Players:
  • Kyle Schwarber – 14 home runs, .404 OBP, reaching base in 46 straight games.
  • Bryce Harper – Eight doubles, seven home runs, batting .232.
  • Trea Turner – Batting .326 over his last 10 games.

Pitching Matchup

  • Cardinals: Sonny Gray (RHP, 4-1, 3.50 ERA) – Has held the Phillies to a .227 batting average across seven career starts.
  • Phillies: Jesús Luzardo (LHP, 3-0, 2.11 ERA) – Has a 1.90 ERA with 22 strikeouts over his last four starts.

Game Analysis & Predictions

  • Cardinals’ Strategy: St. Louis needs Gray to continue his strong form while their offense capitalizes on Luzardo’s occasional control issues.
  • Phillies’ Strategy: Philadelphia has been dominant at home, and their power-hitting lineup matches up well against right-handed pitching.

Game Odds

St. Louis Cardinals           7.5

Philadelphia Phillies      – 155

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, May 12, 2025