On Saturday, the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs will meet in a doubleheader at Wrigley Field. In the second game of the day, the Cubs will be throwing one of their top prospects on the mound.
Will some excitement surrounding Caleb Kilian’s debut lead Chicago to a victory? Keep reading our Cardinals vs. Cubs MLB picks and predictions.
Cardinals vs Cubs Game 2 odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The odds on this one haven’t changed much since becoming available, as Chicago was -105 and is now anywhere from -108 to -120. The total, which opened at 8.5, could ultimately end up settling at 9, but it’s still 8.5 across all sportsbooks at the moment. You will, however, have to pay some juice if you want to take the Over.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until first pitch and be sure to check out the full MLB odds before placing your bets.
Cardinals vs Cubs predictions
Picks made on 6/4/2022 at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
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Cardinals vs Cubs game info
• Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
• Date: Saturday, June 4, 2022
• First pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
Cardinals vs Cubs Game 2 betting preview
Starting pitchers
Andre Pallante (1-0, 1.07 ERA): Pallante has essentially worked as a swingman for the Cardinals this year, as he has made 17 appearances in relief and will now be making his first true start. The righty has been extremely reliable in his role this season, but there’s a new pressure that comes with taking the ball to start the game. It’ll be interesting to see how many pitches St. Louis is willing to let him throw.
Caleb Kilian (MLB Debut): Kilian is the fifth-ranked prospect in the Cubs organization and the top pitching prospect they have. The righty has been rather dominant in the minors this year, as he is 2-0 with a 2.06 ERA in nine starts. Kilian has a fastball that reaches the high 90s and he has great command on it. He also has some impressive off-speed stuff, and his slider is a really good pitch for him.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Cardinals: Jordan Hicks P (Out), Dylan Carlson OF (Out), Steven Matz P (Out), Alex Reyes P (Out), Tyler O’Neill OF (Out), Drew VerHagen P (Out), Jack Flaherty P (Out).
Cubs: Drew Smyly P (Out), Jonathan Villar SS (Out), Seiya Suzuki OF (Out), Wade Miley P (Out), Yan Gomes C (Out), Alec Mills P (Out), Sean Newcomb P (Out), Michael Hermosillo OF (Out), Ethan Roberts P (Out), Adbert Alzolay P (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Cardinals are 1-4 in their last five games as road underdogs. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Cubs
Cardinals vs Cubs Game 2 picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Moneyline analysis
There’s something a little fishy about the Cardinals being underdogs in a game in which they’re sending a pitcher with actual MLB experience to the mound against a weaker opponent that happens to be starting somebody that has never pitched in the big leagues. That, however, says a lot about Kilian’s talent level, and the righty is fully capable of turning in a quality start in this one.
Kilian has a 2.06 ERA in nine starts in the minors this season, and he just has some absurd stuff. With a great Chicago fanbase backing him, it wouldn’t be too surprising if he throws five or six innings of three-run ball in this one. That would likely be more than enough, considering Pallante isn’t exactly trustworthy on the other side.
Pallante has been excellent in relief for the Cardinals this season, but starting a game is a whole different beast. There’s going to be a lot of pressure on the righty to perform right away, as opposed to finishing the job for another pitcher. With that in mind, look for the Cubs to score a few against Pallante, who likely won’t pitch more than three or four innings in this game.
Chicago will then get to go to work against a St. Louis bullpen that is very beatable. The Cardinals have a 3.72 bullpen ERA, which is just an average mark.
All in all, the Cubs are going to have some serious energy as they let one of their top prospects make his debut. That should help propel the team to a victory.
Prediction: Cubs moneyline (-108 at WynnBet)
Over/Under analysis
The Over is 5-1 in St. Louis’ last six road games against right-handed starters, and the team has the ninth-best batting average in the league against righties. The Cardinals are also 10th in on-base percentage against right-handed pitching, and they’re tied for fourth in weighted runs created against them. With that in mind, the team should be able to plate a few runs against Kilian in this one.
The Cubs, however, will also be able to do the same against the unproven Pallante, who could be in for some trouble in his first start ever. Wrigley Field isn’t an easy place to pitch, and the Cubs have the seventh highest on-base percentage in baseball against righties.
The Over also happens to be 11-3-1 in Chicago’s last 15 home games against teams with winning records, and it’s 11-4 in the team’s last 15 games total.
On top of that, the Over is 18-7-3 in the Cubs’ last 28 home games with a total between 7 and 8.5.
Prediction: Over 8.5 (+100 at Caesars)
Best bet
Considering the two pitchers that will be on the mound in this one, it’s just hard not to view the Over as the best bet in this game.
Pallante just can’t be trusted to not let up a bunch of runs in this one, as he has barely started games for St. Louis. The most innings he’s pitched in a game this season is 3 1-3, and he could get lit up if he is forced to go more.
Meanwhile, Kilian is a great pitching prospect and should be able to turn in a solid performance in this one, but it’s hard to see him doing so without making a few mistakes.
The Cubs are a solid bet to win this game because of the pitching matchup, but the safest play is not needing a winner and just banking on a lot of runs. This total should be higher with two unproven pitchers.
Pick: Over 8.5 (+100 at Caesars)
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