Leake, Cardinals visit Cubs at critical time
Two days ago, the Cardinals couldn’t lower the boom on Colorado. But are Mike Matheny’s troops still capable of causing headaches for the top team in the majors?
St. Louis kicks off a crucial three-game set against the Cubs this afternoon, with a 2:20 p.m. ET first pitch at Wrigley Field. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the hosts odds of -220 to snatch the opener, whereas the Redbirds typify +180 underdogs. The over/under run figure sits at seven.
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Chicago (97-55) has already matched last year’s win total. Heck, Joe Maddon’s gang wrapped up the NL Central title with two-plus weeks left in the regular campaign. Yet the Cards, at 80-72, find themselves embroiled in an uber-intense wild-card battle with the Mets and Giants.
Coming off an 11-1 defeat at the hands of the Rockies, the visitors need to regain the mojo immediately. One wonders, however, if Mike Leake (9-10, 4.34 ERA) is the man to provide such a spark. The veteran righty remains winless since Aug. 21. He’s 9-4 with a 1.13 WHIP in 22 career appearances vs. the Cubbies.
The North Siders counter with Jake Arrieta (17-7, 2.96), whose bid for a second straight Cy Young continues. Over the course of 29 starts in 2016, the Missouri native boasts 176 strikeouts in 185 1/3 innings. He’s also holding opposing batters to a .185 average.
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Maddon likely won’t rest the majority of his regulars until next week, so the Cardinals had better prepare for major resistance here. Frankly, we just can’t in good conscience recommend Leake. Look for Arrieta to lead Chicago that much closer to the 100-victory plateau.
FRIDAY MLB FREE PICK: CUBS -1.5