It’s been a difficult season for both the Athletics and the Cardinals. Still, each of these clubs will be looking to finish the year strong. For the visiting A’s, starter Luis Severino will take the mound for the first time in nearly a month. St. Louis will counter with rotation mainstay Miles Mikolas. Ahead of this inter-league clash, which squad will come out on top? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Tuesday’s showdown between the Athletics and the Cardinals.
The Cardinals are slight favorites (-111) over the Athletics, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Athletics vs. Cardinals prediction, preview
The aforementioned Severino has had an up-and-down first season for the green and gold. Through 136.1 innings of work, the right-hander has notched a 4.82 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 103 strikeouts. Those numbers aren’t awful, but they aren’t good, either. However, the two-time All-Star has been a victim of Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park, a hitter’s paradise. Away from home, it’s been a much different story. During Severino’s 11 outings on the road, he’s recorded a solid 3.17 ERA. The 31-year-old hasn’t thrown since August 6th due to a left oblique strain.
Despite starting the season on a heater, this Cardinals offense has collapsed in recent weeks. Going back to July 1st, the team’s 203 runs are the second-lowest total in baseball. Decent hitters such as Brendan Donovan (groin), Alec Burleson (wrist) and Nolan Arenado (shoulder) are all injured right now. Only three healthy regulars in this lineup have a wRC+ of 100 or greater. Only four St. Louis players have ever faced Severino prior to Tuesday. That quartet combined has put up a .214 batting average, one home run and two RBIs.
If the Cardinals are going to earn a win, it’ll take a quality performance from Miles Mikolas. The veteran hurler has been a stabilizing force in this rotation for most of his career. However, he’s clearly taken a step back in 2025. Through 130.1 innings of work, the two-time All-Star owns a 5.04 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 86 strikeouts. If there’s reason for hope, the 37-year-old has a solid 3.57 ERA at Busch Stadium. Still, a career-worst 31.7% fly-ball rate is cause for concern tonight. The Athletics have launched the sixth-most home runs in the league this season (190).
Athletics vs. Cardinals pick, best bet
Best Bet: Athletics ML (-110)
There’s some trepidation in trusting Severino during his first start off of the injured list. Regardless, it’s not as if he’ll be going up against a juggernaut offense. In addition, the Athletics have won 12 of their last 20 games. The Cardinals are relying heavily on Mikolas, which hasn’t worked out for most of the season. This powerful A’s offense is capable of breaking things open tonight.
