Chicago @ St. Louis props

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Nolan Arenado in the 5th percentile when estimating his BABIP talent. Kyle Hendricks will hold the platoon advantage over Nolan Arenado in today's game. In today's matchup, Nolan Arenado is at a disadvantage facing the league's 6th-deepest LF fences given that he hits his flyballs to the pull field at a 42.1% rate (100th percentile). Nolan Arenado's exit velocity on flyballs has decreased in recent games; his 92.3-mph seasonal figure has lowered to 87.4-mph in the last 7 days. Nolan Arenado's launch angle this year (17.6°) is significantly worse than his 21.7° figure last season.

Brendan Donovan has a 93rd percentile opposite-field rate on his flyballs (37.9%) but may find it hard to clear MLB's 6th-deepest LF fences today. In the past 14 days, Brendan Donovan's Barrel% has experienced a negative regression, plummeting from his seasonal rate of 5.3% down to 0%. Brendan Donovan's exit velocity on flyballs has declined of late; his 92.1-mph seasonal EV has fallen off to 89.2-mph over the last 14 days. In the past two weeks' worth of games, Brendan Donovan's 10.3% rate of hitting balls at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has taken a nosedive compared to his seasonal rate of 15%.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Christopher Morel in the 81st percentile as it relates to his BABIP talent. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Christopher Morel will have the handedness advantage against Steven Matz in today's matchup. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today. Christopher Morel has made substantial improvements with his Barrel% in recent games, upping his 15.3% seasonal rate to 25% over the last 7 days.

Nico Hoerner has an 87th percentile opposite-field rate on his flyballs (36.2%) and will be challenged by MLB's 2nd-deepest RF fences today. Playing on the road generally lowers hitter stats across the board due to the lack of home field advantage, which should be the case for Nico Hoerner today. In the past week's worth of games, Nico Hoerner's exit velocity on flyballs has dropped from his seasonal EV of 87.1 mph to 83.2 mph. Nico Hoerner's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has fallen off lately, going from 16.9% on the season to 10% in the last week. Nico Hoerner has done a bad job optimizing his launch angle on his hardest-hit balls. His 3.8° figure is among the lowest in baseball this year (2nd percentile).

A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Miguel Amaya will receive the benefit of the platoon advantage against Steven Matz today. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today. Compared to his seasonal average of 22.1°, Miguel Amaya has significantly improved his launch angle lately, posting a 27.6° angle in the last two weeks.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Ian Happ in the 81st percentile as it relates to his overall offensive ability. Ian Happ is projected to hit 3rd in the lineup in today's game. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today. When it comes to plate discipline, Ian Happ's ability is quite strong, putting up a 1.54 K/BB rate this year while checking in at in the 91st percentile.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Dansby Swanson in the 91st percentile when it comes to his BABIP ability. Dansby Swanson is projected to bat 5th on the lineup card in today's game. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Dansby Swanson will have the handedness advantage against Steven Matz in today's matchup. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today.

When assessing his overall offensive skill, Seiya Suzuki ranks in the 94th percentile according to the leading projections (THE BAT X). Seiya Suzuki is projected to hit 2nd in the lineup in this matchup. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Seiya Suzuki will have the handedness advantage against Steven Matz today. Seiya Suzuki hits a high percentage of his flyballs to center field (40.1% — 98th percentile) and is fortunate to face the league's 7th-shallowest CF fences in today's game.

Kyle Hendricks will have the handedness advantage against Paul Goldschmidt in today's matchup. Today, Paul Goldschmidt is at a disadvantage facing the league's 2nd-deepest RF fences given that he hits his flyballs to the opposite field at a 34.5% rate (77th percentile). Paul Goldschmidt has been cold in recent games, with his seasonal exit velocity of 92.2-mph dropping to 86.7-mph in the last 14 days. From last year to this one, Paul Goldschmidt's ability to hit the ball at a launch angle that optimizes home runs (23° to 34°) has decreased substantially, plummeting from 16% to 12.7%. In the last 7 days, Paul Goldschmidt's 23.1% rate of hitting balls at a base hit-optimizing launch angle (between -4° and 26°) has taken a nosedive compared to his seasonal rate of 48.2%.

A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Patrick Wisdom will have the handedness advantage against Steven Matz in today's game. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today. Patrick Wisdom has been hot lately, raising his seasonal exit velocity of 92.2-mph to 95.2-mph in the past two weeks. In the past 14 days, Patrick Wisdom has significantly improved the launch angle on his hardest-contacted balls: 34.3° compared to his seasonal mark of 14.7°.

Cody Bellinger is penciled in 3rd in the lineup in today's game. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. The St. Louis Cardinals have just 1 same-handed RP in their bullpen, so Cody Bellinger has a strong chance of never facing a bullpen mismatch all game. Cody Bellinger hits a high percentage of his flyballs to center field (39.7% — 96th percentile) and is a great match for the park considering he'll be hitting towards baseball's 7th-shallowest CF fences in today's game. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Willson Contreras in the 96th percentile when it comes to his overall offensive ability. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. The Chicago Cubs infield defense profiles as the worst out of every team in action today. Home field advantage typically boosts batter stats across the board, and Willson Contreras will hold that advantage in today's matchup. Willson Contreras has seen a substantial improvement in his exit velocity lately; just compare his 94.8-mph average in the last 14 days to his seasonal 91.8-mph figure.

Yan Gomes is penciled in 4th in the lineup in this matchup, which would be an upgrade from his 85% rate of hitting in the bottom-half of the lineup this year. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Yan Gomes will receive the benefit of the platoon advantage against Steven Matz today. Yan Gomes hits a high percentage of his flyballs to center field (38.7% — 84th percentile) and will have a big advantage facing the game's 7th-shallowest CF fences in today's game. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today.

A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Trey Mancini will have the handedness advantage against Steven Matz today. The St. Louis Cardinals outfield defense projects as the weakest among all the teams in action today. Over the past two weeks, Trey Mancini's exit velocity on flyballs has seen a big rise, from 90-mph over the course of the season to 97.3-mph in recent games. In the last two weeks' worth of games, Trey Mancini has significantly improved the launch angle on his hardest-contacted balls: 29.6° compared to his seasonal mark of 8.2°.

A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Taylor Motter will possess the home field advantage today, which should bolster all of his stats. Taylor Motter has been hot lately, putting up a a 14.3% Barrel% (a reliable standard to assess power) in the past 7 days. In the last 7 days, Taylor Motter's maximum exit velocity (a favorable measure of recent form and raw power) has been 110.7-mph, which qualifies as one of the hardest-hit balls in the game.

When estimating his overall offensive talent, Lars Nootbaar ranks in the 90th percentile according to the leading projections (THE BAT X). Lars Nootbaar is projected to bat 1st in the batting order today. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Lars Nootbaar will have the handedness advantage over Kyle Hendricks in today's matchup. The Chicago Cubs have just 1 same-handed RP in their bullpen, so Lars Nootbaar has a strong chance of holding the platoon advantage against every reliever all game.

A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Andrew Knizner will benefit from the home field advantage today, which figures to bolster all of his stats. Andrew Knizner has seen a significant gain in his exit velocity in recent games; just compare his 94.7-mph average in the past week to his seasonal 89.5-mph average. Andrew Knizner's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has increased of late, rising from 18.7% on the season to 36.4% in the past 7 days.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Jordan Walker in the 93rd percentile when assessing his BABIP talent. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Jordan Walker hits a high percentage of his flyballs to center field (38.6% — 81st percentile) and is fortunate to face MLB's 7th-shallowest CF fences today. Jordan Walker will benefit from the home field advantage in today's game, which ought to boost all of his stats. Jordan Walker's launch angle in recent games (30.7° in the past week) is quite a bit higher than his 6.9° seasonal mark.

When it comes to his overall offensive talent, Nolan Gorman ranks in the 78th percentile according to the leading projections (THE BAT X). Nolan Gorman is projected to hit 3rd in the batting order in this matchup. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Nolan Gorman will receive the benefit of the platoon advantage against Kyle Hendricks in today's game. The Chicago Cubs have just 1 same-handed RP in their bullpen, so Nolan Gorman stands a good chance of holding the platoon advantage against every reliever all game.

A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Paul DeJong will benefit from the home field advantage today, which figures to improve all of his stats. Paul DeJong's average launch angle on his hardest-hit balls lately (24.7° over the last 14 days) is significantly higher than his 16.5° seasonal mark.

Alec Burleson is penciled in 5th on the lineup card today. A correlation exists between high heat and more offense (and fewer Ks), and this game is predicted to have the 4th-highest temperatures of all games today at 86°. Alec Burleson will have the handedness advantage over Kyle Hendricks today. The Chicago Cubs have just 1 same-handed RP in their bullpen, so Alec Burleson can likely count on holding the platoon advantage against every reliever all game. Home field advantage typically boosts batter stats across the board, and Alec Burleson will hold that advantage today.

Nick Madrigal has gone over 0.5 in 7 of his last 10 games.

Dylan Carlson has gone over 0.5 in 3 of his last 10 games.

Tyler O'Neill has gone over 0.5 in 5 of his last 10 games.