Blue Jays vs Cardinals Prediction - MLB Picks 3/30/23

St. Louis Cardinals (0-0) vs Toronto Blue Jays (0-0)

Game Info: Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 4:10 pm (Busch Stadium)

Miles Mikolas (0-0) (0.00) vs Alek Manoah (0-0) (0.00)

Betting Odds: St. Louis Cardinals -132 / Toronto Blue Jays -105 --- Over/Under: 7.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The St. Louis Cardinals will open the season in interleague play with a three-game set with Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium on. The Blue Jays and Cardinals split the head-to-head meetings last season, with each team winning two meetings.

Blue Jays Betting Preview

Toronto went 17-15 in the Grapefruit League, after finishing second in the AL East in 2022. The Blue Jays return nearly all of their high octane core from last season with Vlad Guerrero and Bo Bichette healthy and leading the way. The additions of Brandon Belt and Daulton Varsho should also help bolster the lineup, and they’re my favorites to dethrone the Yanks atop the best division in baseball this season.

Alex Manoah will make the Opening Day start for Toronto. The third-year pitcher earned an All-Star nod last season after going 16-7, with a 2.24 ERA and 180 strikeouts. Manoah showed no fear on the road in 2022 with a 9-3 record, and he’ll look to kick off year three strong here. 

Cardinals Betting Preview

St. Louis went 17-7 in the Grapefruit League, after finishing first in the NL Central last season. The Cardinals also carry a talented lineup with mainstays Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt. There will be a big chance at the backstop spot this season, with longtime Card Yadier Molina retiring and former Cub Wilson Contreras signing on to replace him.

Miles Mikolas will start for St. Louis on Opening Day with Adam Wainwright set to miss time with a groin injury. The twelve-year pitcher regained form last season, posting a 12-13 record, with a 3.29 ERA and a career-high 153 strikeouts. Mikolas fared much better at Busch than away in 2022 with a 6-3 record, and he’ll look to contain a potent Blue Jays lineup here. 

Toronto vs St. Louis Trends

Toronto went 74-90 against the spread in 2022, with a 84-76-4 over/under record. St. Louis went 87-77 ATS, with a 77-81-6 O/U record.

Corey's Free Pick

Toronto was a good bet to win each time Alex Manoah came out with that potent lineup behind him, and I like that trend carrying over into 2023. Miles Mikolas pitched well down the stretch, but the Blue Jays have the bats to give him trouble, and very well could Thursday afternoon. The Cards aren’t slouches by any means, this spot puts the Jays in a profitable position with their ace on the mound, and I like them here in game one. Back the Blue Jays on Opening Day.

Corey’s Pick Blue Jays ML

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The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.

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