Cardinals vs Braves Picks and Predictions: Bats Do Damage in Game 2 of Twin Bill

The second game of today's doubleheader between the Cardinals and Braves will feature a pitching matchup of Kwang Hyun Kim and Drew Smyly. Can the plus-money Cards take advantage of Smyly's home run issues? Find out with our Cardinals vs. Braves picks.

Jun 20, 2021 • 12:44 ET • 4 min read
Yadier Molina Nolan Arenado St. Louis Cardinals MLB
Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

The MLB betting board has 16 games on Sunday which means we're getting a day-night doubleheader between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves.

These two sides will wrap up their four-game set at Truist Park with a couple of seven-inning contests today and the Cards are installed as slim +105 road underdogs for the later matchup, which is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. ET.

Here are our best free Cardinals vs. Braves picks and predictions for Game 2 on Sunday, June 20. 

Cardinals vs Braves game info

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date: Sunday, June 20, 2021
Time: 7:08 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

Cardinals vs Braves odds

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MLB sharp money and line movement report

By Patrick Everson

This game opened virtually a pick 'em at TwinSpires Sportsbook, with Atlanta at -110, and the home team is out to -127 at 4 p.m. ET. Tickets and money are both in the 3/1 range on the Braves. The total hasn't moved off 7.5, with 75 percent of tickets/56 percent of money on the Over.

Check out the full line movement for this game

Cardinals vs Braves betting preview

Starting pitchers

Kwang Hyun Kim (1-4, 3.72 ERA): Kim had a dynamite first season in the major leagues last year, pitching to a 1.62 ERA with a .197 opponent batting average in 39 innings. The former KBO star has had mixed results this season, posting a 1.35 WHIP with an OBA of .246 across 10 starts. In his previous outing, Kim allowed one run and three hits across six innings against the Marlins. 

Drew Smyly (3-3, 5.63 ERA): Smyly has struggled in his first season in Atlanta, pitching to a 1.41 WHIP and allowing opposing batters to post a slugging percentage of .516 across 56 innings. The 32-year-old is coming off a solid start, coincidently also against the Marlins, where he held Miami to two runs through five innings. 

Weather

Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.

Key injuries

Cardinals: Harrison Bader CF (Out).
Braves: Marcell Ozuna LF (Out), Travis Arnaud C (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Over is 5-2 in the Braves' last seven home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Braves.

Moneyline pick

The Cardinals have gotten hammered in the first two games of this series, with the Braves outscoring them by a total of 13-1. St. Louis is now just 4-11 in its last 15 games and has dropped to fourth place in the NL Central with a 35-35 mark. 

The Braves haven't been great this season, either, despite entering with high expectations. Atlanta is third in the NL East with a 32-35 record and is 5.5 games behind the division-leading Mets.

The Braves have a big edge at the plate where they rank fifth in the majors with an OPS of .755, while the Cards are 26th with an OPS of .676. 

That said, MLB betting is all about starting pitching and the Braves will not be well represented in that department tonight. Smyly will take to the hill for Atlanta and he's been shaky this season, especially at home where he has pitched to a 7.45 ERA in 19 1-3 innings across four starts.  

St. Louis has seen its rotation decimated by injuries to Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson, and Miles Mikolas, but Kim has been a reliable arm. While Kim's season numbers might not jump off the page, he has allowed just one run in six of his last nine starts.

With the Braves 4-7 in Smyly's 11 outings and the Cards going 6-4 in Kim's 10 starts, consider St. Louis at plus money.

PREDICTION: St. Louis (+105)

Over/Under pick

The Cardinals have really struggled at the dish lately, plating just 3.15 runs per game over the last 30 days. However, prior to that slump, they had averaged a respectable 4.49 runs per game which suggests that their lineup isn't quite as brutal as their recent form might indicate. 

Interestingly enough, the Cardinals are ninth in the majors in sweet spot percentage and seventh in average launch angle but haven't hit a home run in four straight games entering today's doubleheader.

They could be due for some dingers and who better to serve them up than Smyly, who has surrendered eight home runs in his last 15 innings pitched at Truist Park.

Meanwhile, the Braves are tied for fourth in the majors in scoring at home with 5.42 runs per game, including 4.61 runs per contest through the first seven innings. With the Over going 13-4 in the last 17 meetings between these teams in Atlanta, take the Over 7.5 in this seven-inning contest. 

PREDICTION: Over 7.5 (-115)

Cardinals vs Braves betting card

  • St. Louis (+105)
  • Over 7.5 (-115)

Picks made on 6/20/2021 at 11:10 a.m. ET

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