One of the most quietly intense rivalries in baseball gets underway tonight as the Chicago Cubs visit the St. Louis Cardinals to kick off a four-game series. And if our Cubs vs. Cardinals predictions are on point, this opener could see some serious fireworks.
The total is set at nine runs, but I’m not convinced that number does this matchup justice.
Dive into my MLB picks for this NL Central clash, with first pitch from Busch Stadium scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET on Monday, June 23.
Cubs vs Cardinals prediction
My Cubs vs Cardinals best bet: Over 9.0 (+100 at Caesars)
This is a massive four-game series for the St. Louis Cardinals, who trail the Chicago Cubs by 4.5 games in the National League Central standings, and Game 1 matches up an intriguing pair of 25-year-old starters as Ben Brown toes the rubber against Matthew Liberatore.
Brown has shown flashes of brilliance, but 2025 has been a struggle overall. He's in the 29th percentile in expected ERA and the 33rd in expected batting average while also ranking in the Bottom 15% in both average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage.
Now, the Cardinals may not hit for a ton of power, but they put the bat on the ball. St. Louis ranks third in batting average and 12th in both OPS and wRC+ when facing righties this season.
On the other side, Liberatore has been a little more consistent with a 3.63 xERA, but the left-hander has still given up his fair share of hard contact, sitting in the 31st percentile in xBA, the 11th in average exit velocity, and the 19th in hard-hit percentage.
And while he may be the more consistent of the two starters, he has the much tougher task in trying to slow down this Cubs offense.
Chicago has been one of the most productive lineups all season long and has crushed southpaws. The Cubs rank ninth in batting average and sixth in OPS and wRC+ vs. left-handed pitching this season.
Both lineups should have the edge in this one. So, I’ll take the Over at even money.
Caesars QuickPick: Our Cubs vs Cardinals same-game parlay (SGP)
Over 9.0
Kyle Tucker RBI
Alec Burleson RBI
So, who is going to produce these runs tonight? Well, we of course have to start with Kyle Tucker, who anchors this Cubs offense with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs. He’s hitting .417 with a 1.292 OPS over his last seven games.
And don’t worry about the lefty-lefty splits, as Tucker actually hits southpaws better than he does right-handers.
Alec Burleson has been the Cardinals' hottest hitter lately. He’s hitting .370 over 19 games in June with four home runs and 14 RBI.
Burleson is another left-handed bat, but has traditional splits, with a .310 average and a .808 OPS vs. right-handed pitching.
Double your winnings for 10 separate bets at Caesars
Sign up for a Caesars account — using our exclusive promo code BASEBALLDYW — and get 10x profit boost tokens worth 100% each!
Register now to collect your Double your winning tokens, or learn more with our comprehensive Caesars Sportsbook review.
Cubs vs Cardinals odds
Cubs vs Cardinals live odds
Cubs vs Cardinals opening odds
- Moneyline: Chicago -105 | Cardinals -115
- Run line: Chicago +1.5 (-222) | Cardinals -1.5 (+180)
- Over/Under: Over 9.0 (-105) | Under 9 (-115)
Odds courtesy of Caesars.
Cubs vs Cardinals trend
The Cardinals have hit the Game Total Over in 15 of their last 26 games at home for +5.25 Units and an 18% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Cubs vs Cardinals and game info
| Location | Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO |
| Date | Monday, 6-23-2025 |
| First pitch | 7:45 p.m. ET |
| TV | MARQ, FDSN |
| Cubs starting pitcher | Ben Brown (4-5, 5.57 ERA) |
| Cardinals starting pitcher | Matthew Liberatore (4-6, 4.08 ERA) |
Cubs vs Cardinals latest injuries
Cubs vs Cardinals weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
