Cardinals Suck, But Back Them Today

Angels vs. Cardinals, 1:15 ET

The Angels and Cardinals are in the midst of a really strange series. The Cardinals dropped the opener to the Angels, a game I had correct. Then they had to face the great Shohei Ohtani and had the brutal Miles Mikolas on the mound. They lost Game 2 in the ninth after needing just three outs to close it. Today, the Cardinals look to dodge the sweep with a win against the Angels.

There really isn't much more to say about the Angels than I've already said in the past article. They are playing better baseball than you expect, but the low expectations they have despite their two generational talents is part of the cause. I do wish we would get to see Trout and Ohtani in the playoffs, but the team has constant injuries, free agents that don't work out, and a pitching staff that is almost always beaten down. Right now, their pitching is actually pretty good and their team is pretty healthy. Enjoy it while you can, Angels fans. They are sending Griffin Canning to the mound today. He's been consistent if nothing else for the Angels with three starts of five innings and two to three earned runs allowed. No one on the Cardinals has much experience against him.

On the other side is a guy that I really think could be the eventual Ace of the Cardinals. Injuries have kept him from being super successful, but I think he has the stuff to dominate in just about any game. Jack Flaherty has been good enough for the Cardinals despite some really strange starts to begin the year. He walked 13 hitters in 10 innings in his first two starts. He has walked just eight hitters in his last four starts combined and that covers 22 innings. The issue is he has allowed four earned runs in two of those starts. Doesn't quite make sense that he allows less walks but more earned runs, but that's what is happening. The Angels also don't have a ton of experience against him, but Anthony Rendon is one guy to watch out for against Flaherty.

I'll be honest, I don't think this game will be close. Eventually, these Cardinals need to become the St. Louis team that they can be. I don't expect them to get swept and I think they win this by more than one run. I'd lean towards the under 8.5 in this one, but my official play is Cardinals on the run line at +140. Maybe it is a gut feeling, but I like Flaherty and the Cards better than Canning and the Angels here.

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