National League Central foes are set to clash once again tonight. The Cubs (66-49) have dreams of postseason contention, thanks to one of baseball’s most lethal lineups. It’s a different story for the 59-58 Cardinals, who have slipped to fourth place in the division. Still, the Redbirds remain just 4.5 games out of a wildcard spot. Which of these two ancient rivals will earn a victory? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Saturday’s matchup between the Cubs and the Cardinals.
The Cubs are favorites (-117) over the Cardinals, with the over/under set at nine runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Cubs vs. Cardinals prediction, preview
While both of these teams have been competitive in 2025, neither wields an elite pitching staff. Tonight, it’ll be Colin Rea taking the mound for Chicago. The journeyman has enjoyed a decent season thus far, notching a 4.23 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 79 strikeouts through 110.2 innings. Still, those numbers are nothing to write home about. The veteran has done well in this spot, posting a 3.89 ERA over eight career meetings with St. Louis. When these teams met on July 4th, Rea tossed 6.2 innings of two-hit, one-run ball.
Things have been difficult on offense recently for the Cardinals. Since July 1st, the team has scored a total of 111 runs, the league’s lowest mark. Unsurprisingly, they’ve posted a lackluster 12-19 record during that time. St. Louis has suffered from a lack of power, launching the sixth-fewest home runs in baseball this season (112). That’s a boon for Rea, a known flyball pitcher. Among active Cardinals hitters, only Brendan Donovan (.429) and Lars Nootbaar (.375) have a career batting average over .200 against Rea.
If St. Louis has any shot at a victory tonight, it’ll take a terrific showing from Andre Pallante. It’s been a mediocre year for the righty, who has accounted for a 4.59 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. Granted, he did toss five innings of two-run ball when these clubs met on June 26th. In addition, the 26-year-old has surrendered two runs or less in 11 of his 22 appearances this season. The Cardinals will hope for another effective outing on Saturday.
Pallante’s numbers don’t inspire much confidence against a loaded Cubs offense. Chicago is averaging 5.11 runs per game, the league’s second-highest mark. Seven different regulars in this lineup have a wRC+ of 100 or greater. Those names include Kyle Tucker (142 wRC+), Michael Busch (139 wRC+) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (129 wRC+). Expect a more motivated approach at the plate following Friday’s disappointing 5-0 defeat.
Cubs vs. Cardinals pick, best bet
Best Bet: Cubs ML (-117)
Neither Rea or Pallante are the kind of arms that excite bettors. Still, the former’s flyball approach should do better against this light-hitting Cardinals lineup. In comparison, Pallante runs a much higher risk of losing command (3.0 BB/9). The Cubs, with all their offensive firepower, are poised for a bounce-back win on Saturday night.
