MLB Picks: Dodgers at Cardinals Predictions 3/31/24

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Date: Sunday, March 31st, 7:10 ET
Location: Dodger Stadium
TV: ESPN
Money Line: Cardinals +153/Dodgers -186
Total Line: 9

Betting Preview

Here’s our betting preview for the upcoming MLB clash between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cardinals on Sunday, March 31st at Dodger Stadium. We provide you with a comprehensive analysis, odds, and predictions to help with your handicapping decision or tail our expert based on the projected lineups and listed starting pitchers.

Betting Odds

Steven Matz will take the mound for the Cardinals, while Gavin Stone will get the start for the Dodgers. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Oddsmakers have the Dodgers as the favorite, with a moneyline payout of -186 compared to the Cardinals’ +153. The over/under line is set at 9 runs.

Cardinals vs. Dodgers Projected Lineup

	Batting Order	Position
Brendan Donovan	1	LF
Paul Goldschmidt	2	1B
Nolan Gorman	3	2B
Nolan Arenado	4	3B
Willson Contreras	5	C
Alec Burleson	6	DH
Jordan Walker	7	RF
Victor Scott II	8	CF
Masyn Winn	9	SS
Steven Matz	–	SP




	Batting Order	Position
Mookie Betts	1	2B
Shohei Ohtani	2	DH
Freddie Freeman	3	1B
Will Smith	4	C
Max Muncy	5	3B
Teoscar Hernández	6	RF
Enrique Hernández	7	CF
Chris Taylor	8	LF
Miguel Rojas	9	SS
Gavin Stone	–	SP




Straight Up/Over-Under/ Runline Record

St. Louis Cardinals: 1-2 SU / OU 2-1 / Runline 1-2
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3-2 SU / OU 3-2 / Runline 3-2

The Cardinals were able to pick up a win in their most recent game against the Dodgers, despite being out-hit 14-6. The Dodgers also had one more home run than the Cardinals, but St. Louis was able to pull out a 6-5 win in 10 innings.

Lance Lynn got the start for the Cardinals and went four innings, not allowing a run. However, it was Ryan Helsley who picked up the win out of the bullpen, while Giovanny Gallegos got the save. Kyle Hurt took the loss for the Dodgers.

Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan each drove in a run for the Cardinals, while Mookie Betts had a three-hit game, including a home run, for the Dodgers. Will Smith and Freddie Freeman also drove in two runs each for LA.

Pitching Matchup

Steven Matz is coming off a season in which he made 17 starts and 25 appearances. His record was 4-7, and he finished the season with an ERA of 3.86. Matz’s WHIP for the season was 1.33, and he allowed a batting average of .255. He made four quality starts and finished the season with 11 home runs allowed. Matz’s strikeout-to-walk ratio for the season was 3.1.

Gavin Stone is coming off a season in which he made four starts and eight appearances for the Dodgers. His record for the season was 1-1, and his ERA was 9.00. Stone’s WHIP for the season was 1.90, and he finished the year with no quality starts. In terms of his strikeout numbers, Stone averaged 6.39 Ks per nine innings and 1.7 strikeouts per walk. For the season, he allowed eight home runs, and his batting average allowed was .338.

Cardinals vs. Dodgers Offense Outlook

Our Cardinals player prop projections have Brendan Donovan as our top Cardinals player in terms of total hits today, as his total hits projection is 26th best in the league. If you’re looking for a Cardinals player to hit a home run, we have Nolan Gorman as our top choice, as his home run projection is 11th best in the league. Willson Contreras has the 2nd best home run projection on the team and 12th best in the league.

When looking at the Dodgers’ offensive projections for today, Shohei Ohtani is not only projected to have the most hits on the team, but he also has the 4th highest home run projection in the league today. Freddie Freeman’s total hits projection is 19th best in the league today, and his home run projection is 12th. Max Muncy is 10th in the league in terms of home run projections.

Free Cardinals vs. Dodgers MLB Pick

Our prediction for today’s Cardinals vs. Dodgers game is to take the over, with the line being set at 9 runs. Our predicted final score is 6-5 in favor of the Dodgers, giving us a little bit of wiggle room on the over/under line.

Looking at some other betting options, you could take the Dodgers on the money line, but at -186, we don’t see a ton of value there. Steven Matz is projected to finish with five strikeouts, while Gavin Stone is predicted to finish with six.