Pitching Splits Showcase Play in Cubs vs. Cardinals

Cubs vs. Cardinals, 2:15 ET

Sometimes there are pitchers that you just know are good in one situation, but really disappointing in others. A quick check of their splits will typically tell you that, but those numbers can be misleading in certain situations. Today, we have two pitchers going in their more optimal situations where they both can excel.

The Cubs are sending Marcus Stroman to the mound to take on the Cardinals. Stroman, on the road this year, has shown the world why the Cubs opened their checkbook in the offseason for him. At home, Stroman has a 6.92 ERA. However, on the road, where he starts Sunday, we see him taking a 2.05 ERA into the game. He is coming off a nice game against the Blue Jays where he allowed just one earned run on three hits in five innings. He's only allowed five earned runs on the road since he returned to the rotation in June. That's a span of 32.1 innings that he has been dominant in. Still, of those five earned runs, he gave up three of them to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium earlier in August.

Miles Mikolas is the opposite of Stroman. He is finding a lot of comfort in the home whites, as opposed to the brutal starts he's had in the road gray. At home Mikolas has posted a 2.45 ERA and only allowed 22 earned runs on the season. For whatever reason, on the road, Mikolas has allowed 31 more hits than he has at home in roughly the same innings. He's only had two starts at home in his last eight outings so I think this will be a welcome sight for him. In those two starts, he went 14.1 total innings and allowed just five earned runs. On the road in those other six starts, he allowed 26 earned runs. So, clearly, home is where the heart is for Mikolas.

The last time these two pitchers squared off it was a 4-3 win for the Cardinals. I have no reason to believe it will be much different tomorrow. I'm comfortable playing the under in this game at 7.5 at -110.

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