7:45 pm
April 22

Brewers @ Cardinals

Who will WIN this matchup?

Milwaukee Brewers (13-10)

@ St. Louis Cardinals (12-9)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Houser (MIL): 0-0; 0.00 ERA

Flaherty (STL) 1-1; 5.00 ERA

 

Last 10 Games Played:

Milwaukee Brewers: 5-5

St. Louis Cardinals: 6-4

 

Current odds:

Milwaukee Brewers: (+140)

St. Louis Cardinals: (-150)

 

• Christian Yelich is setting a blistering pace at the plate so far, and no opponent has been on the receiving end of his offensive outbursts in 2019 more than the St. Louis Cardinals. The reigning National League MVP will get another chance to torment the Cardinals on Monday, when his Milwaukee Brewers visit for the opener of their three-game series. The Brewers have taken five of their first seven meetings with the Cardinals this season thanks largely to Yelich, who is 12-for-24 with eight walks, eight home runs and 19 RBIs in those contests. About the only question the 27-year-old has to answer nearly one month into the campaign is whether or not he can take his show on the road; Yelich is batting .417 with 13 homers and 29 RBIs in 14 home contests versus .270, zero and two, respectively, in nine games away from Miller Park.

• Jose Martinez is enjoying his own torrid spell at home, taking advantage of injuries to fellow outfielders Harrison Bader (hamstring) and Tyler O’Neill (elbow) to go 11-for-18 with seven runs scored over his last four games at Busch Stadium. That production has helped the Cardinals win seven of their last eight at home, including Sunday’s 6-4 victory over the New York Mets in the rubber match of their three-game series.

• Houser is set to make his first major-league start on Monday after Milwaukee created a vacancy in the rotation by demoting Corbin Burnes to Triple-A San Antonio three days earlier. The 26-year-old earned a promotion by going 1-0 with a 1.10 ERA while registering 18 strikeouts and issuing only two walks over 16 1/3 innings in his first three turns of the season for the Missions. Houser made seven relief appearances for the Brewers last season, surrendering five runs in 13 2/3 frames.

• Flaherty was dominant in both of his home starts thus far this season, allowing one run and nine hits while striking out 14 batters in 11 innings. He suffered his first loss of the year Tuesday in Milwaukee as he surrendered five runs and nine hits – two homers – in only 2 2/3 frames. Ryan Braun (5-for-9, two home runs) and Lorenzo Cain (6-for-14, one) have feasted on Flaherty, who is 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA in seven career starts against Milwaukee.

• Yelich, who is batting .331 in 44 career games versus the Cardinals, is one home run shy of tying Albert Pujols (2006) and Alex Rodriguez (2007) for the most by a player before May 1.

• Martinez is hitting .368 in nine starts this season.

• Milwaukee has won nine of its last 11 meetings with St. Louis.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
St. Louis Cardinals