St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets Best Bet: Can the Mets Get to Adam Wainwright, Cardinals?
The New York Mets are in St. Louis, taking on the Cardinals. Can the Mets get to Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals tonight? Ben Rajavuori shares his best bet for the game.
Ben Rajavuori - August 17, 2023, 4:11 PM EDT
5 minSt. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets Best Bet: Can the Mets Get to Adam Wainwright, Cardinals?
The New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals meet in Busch Stadium for a three-game series tonight. Both teams have flown wildly under expectations this season, as they sit fourth and fifth in their divisions, respectively. Neither team is expected to make the playoffs, as the Mets have a .9% chance to make the playoffs as of today, and the Cardinals have a .5% chance.
No one has had a more disappointing season this year than the Mets (although the New York Yankees are giving them a run for their money). Tonight, these two underwhelming teams see who can take the series opener. Speaking of underwhelming, Adam Wainwright will start on the mound for the Cardinals.
Cardinals vs. Mets Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: August 17, 2023
- Time: 7:15 pm ET
- Where to Watch: FOX
St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets Prediction
Adam Wainwright is a Cardinals legend, and he will never be forgotten in St. Louis or in the MLB, but the wheels are falling off. He has now been in the MLB for 18 years (if you count his two appearances in 2005) and is a World Series champion, but something he is past his prime, with all due respect. Wainwright came out as a rookie reliever in 2006 and helped the Cardinals win the World Series, and he has a 3.5 career ERA, but this year has been the lowest point of his career. He has an 8.78 ERA and just looks like he has lost all command and, of course, his velocity with age.
Wainwright started the year okay with a 6.15 ERA in May, but it is apparent that his arm is going. The later the season goes, the worse his outings have gotten. Over his last seven outings, Wainwright has pitched 23 innings, averaging 3.2 innings per outing. In those seven outings, he has given up 38 earned runs in 23 innings, averaging a 14.8 ERA. He also has a 2.87 WHIP, averaging almost three baserunners every inning, or, in other words, nearly loading the bases EVERY INNING.
If this was a younger pitcher or a worse pitcher, this would look more normal, and I would say, "They'll bounce back," but this is Adam Wainwright, at 41 years old, past his prime. It's also later in the season, and the fatigue is clearly catching up to him. Hell, the last two starts aren't even excusable as "tough starts" because it was against the Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies, two of the worst teams in the league. Wainwright is struggling, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was done soon.
The Mets will start Jose Quintana, who is pitching against his former team from 2022, tonight. Quintana has been excellent the past few years, in which he has looked the best of his career. Last year, he had a 2.01 ERA in 62.2 innings. So while it was not a full season due to injury, he still posted very impressive numbers. So far this season, Quintana has a 3.03 ERA, and he has posted a quality start in four of his five outings. Yet, with his impressive numbers this season, the Mets are 0-5 when he starts. As bad as the Mets have looked, Quintana is more than due for a win, and given that he is matching up against Wainwright tonight, this is a perfect opportunity.
While both teams have not met expectations this season, the Mets are poised to at least take the opener in this series. At this point, Jose Quintana is considered the "ace" on the team with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer gone, while the Cardinals are starting their worst pitcher on the roster (this season). Even with the Mets' struggles, sitting at 55-66, they are favored on the road here. I am trusting the line and taking the Mets.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets Pick
2 Unit Pick: Mets ML -130 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
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