St. Louis Cardinals at Oakland Athletics Pick & Prediction – 4/16/2024

St. Louis Cardinals vs Oakland Athletics Overview

• Date: April 16, 2024
• Venue: Oakland Coliseum
• Starting Pitchers:
  • Lance Lynn - Cardinals
  • JP Sears - Athletics
• Run Line: Cardinals -1.5 115, Athletics 1.5 -135
• Money Line: Cardinals -145, Athletics 125
• Total (Over/Under):8 -110

St. Louis Cardinals vs Oakland Athletics Win Probabilities

Implied Win %:

• St. Louis Cardinals - 57%
• Oakland Athletics - 43%

Projected Win %:

• St. Louis Cardinals - 58.35%
• Oakland Athletics - 41.65%

St. Louis Cardinals vs Oakland Athletics Game Preview & Prediction

In a highly anticipated Interleague matchup, the Oakland Athletics will face off against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oakland Coliseum on April 16, 2024. The Athletics, who currently hold a disappointing 7-10 record this season, are looking to turn their season around. Meanwhile, the Cardinals, with an 8-9 record, are aiming to improve their performance and climb up the standings.

The Athletics will be the home team for this game, hoping to capitalize on the home-field advantage. They are projected to start left-handed pitcher JP Sears, who has had a mixed performance this season. Sears has started three games, with a win-loss record of 1-1 and an ERA of 5.17, which is not particularly impressive. However, according to our advanced-stat Power Rankings, Sears is ranked as the #199 best starting pitcher in MLB out of approximately 350 pitchers.

On the other hand, the Cardinals will send right-handed pitcher Lance Lynn to the mound. Lynn has started three games this season, maintaining an impressive ERA of 2.63. Despite his solid performance, his 4.03 xFIP suggests that he may not be able to sustain this level of success going forward.

The Athletics' offense has struggled this season, ranking as the #26 best in MLB. Their team batting average is currently ranked last in the league, but they have shown some strength in stolen bases, ranking fifth in the league. In contrast, the Cardinals' offense has performed relatively better, ranking #24 overall. They have excelled in team batting average, ranking seventh in the league, and home runs, ranking fifth.

When it comes to the bullpen, the Cardinals have the advantage, as they are ranked as the #1 best bullpen in MLB according to our advanced-stat Power Rankings. The Athletics, on the other hand, are ranked as the #27 best bullpen.

Based on the current odds, the Cardinals are considered the betting favorites with an implied win probability of 57%, while the Athletics are the underdogs with a 43% win probability.

Overall, this game presents an interesting matchup between the struggling Athletics and the below-average Cardinals. While the Athletics have home-field advantage, the Cardinals' offense and strong bullpen could give them the edge. It will be crucial for the Athletics to rely on their best hitter and find a way to overcome the Cardinals' pitching and offensive prowess. With both teams looking to improve their season, this game promises to be an exciting battle on the diamond.

Quick Takes St. Louis Cardinals:

The St. Louis Cardinals infield defense grades out as the 4th-strongest among every team on the slate today.

• Defense is an integral part of preventing hits and runs.

The St. Louis Cardinals (21.1 K% (via the leading projection system, THE BAT X) are forecasted to have the 5th-least strikeout-heavy group of batters on the slate today.

• THE BAT X analyzes each player in today's specific lineup to figure out which teams have the least inherent strikeout potential for the opposing pitcher.

Quick Takes Oakland Athletics:

JP Sears is an extreme flyball pitcher (41.4% FB% via the leading projection system, THE BAT) and has the benefit of pitching in the #28 HR venue in MLB today.

• This pitcher's skill set matches up particularly well with the park he's in today, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.

The Oakland Athletics bullpen grades out as the 4th-worst in MLB, according to the leading projection system (THE BAT).

• Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a weak bullpen sneakily creates an easier matchup for the opposing offense and boosts a game's runs.

Game Trends

• The Oakland Athletics have hit the Team Total Under in 80 of their last 141 games (+10.88 Units / 7% ROI)
• The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Run Line in 25 of their last 43 away games (+7.13 Units / 15% ROI)
• Alec Burleson has only hit the Hits Under in 2 of his last 9 games (-4.40 Units / -41% ROI)

Cardinals vs Athletics Prediction: Cardinals 4.55 - Athletics 3.61

Be sure to check out all our free MLB picks here.