Sunday Night Baseball returns on Easter with a matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers on Peacock at 7:20 pm ET.
Both starting pitchers have notable splits, so I’m banking on the platoon advantage for three hitters with my Sunday Night Baseball MLB player props.
Read on for my full MLB picks and Cardinals vs. Tigers predictions on Sunday, April 5.
Cardinals vs Tigers props for April 5
| Pick | Odds |
|---|---|
 McGonigle Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI |
-135 |
 Burleson Over 1.5 total bases |
+105 |
| Carpenter Over 1.5 total bases |
+130 |
Cardinals vs Tigers player prop picks
Kevin McGonigle Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-135)
Detroit Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle has been a man on fire, slashing .333/.412/.500 with a 162 wRC+ through his first eight big-league games.
He stands a good chance of doling out more damage on Sunday against St. Louis Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy, who transitioned to the rotation and allowed four runs on eight hits with a sole strikeout in his season debut.
Leahy has noticeable splits, posting a 1.50 WHIP and .342 wOBA to left-handed bats. All four of McGonigle’s extra-base hits this season have come against RHP, and he ranks in the Top 10% in expected slugging percentage, so it's wheels up yet again for the precocious infielder.
Alec Burleson Over 1.5 total bases (+105)
Keider Montero makes his 2026 debut after Justin Verlander was placed on the injured list with a hip injury.
Similar to Leahy, Montero also struggles against left-handed hitters, posting a 5.66 FIP and 1.41 WHIP for his career. The Cardinals don’t have many hitters poised to make Montero pay (80 wRC+ against RHP), but Alec Burleson is one exception.
The former East Carolina product slashes .277/.333/.446 with a 117 wRC+ against RHP. Montero's never gotten him out, either, as he's gone 2-for-2 with a walk in prior at-bats facing Montero.
Apart from that small sample, Burleson’s swinging a hot bat, ranking in the 88th percentile or better in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG. It won’t hurt to have winds of 11-15 mph blowing out to left field, either.
Kerry Carpenter Over 1.5 total bases (+130)
Kerry Carpenter would be a Hall of Famer if he only faced right-handed pitching every day. In over 1,000 career at-bats against RHP, he’s slashing .275/.328/.529 with a 135 wRC+.
He’s off to a bit of a slow start, going 5-for-29 at the dish, but that leads to a better price on his prop lines this Easter.
Leahy’s offerings did not look MLB-caliber in his debut, posting a measly 92 Stuff+. His fastball (79) dragged that number down, and he throws it nearly 40% of the time to lefties.
Carpenter demolishes four-seamers (157 wRC+) and right-handers alike, so it’s an ideal matchup.
How to watch Cardinals vs Tigers and game info
| Location | Comerica Park, Detroit, MI |
| Date | Sunday, April 5, 2026 |
| First pitch | 7:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | Peacock |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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