St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies: MLB Betting Preview
Date: Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 | 1:05 PM ET
Location: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
TV Coverage: FDSMW
Money Line: Cardinals +157 | Phillies -186
Total Line: 8.5
Weather: Light rain forecasted with temperatures in the low 60s
Betting Preview
Here’s our comprehensive betting preview for the NL matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, May 14th at Citizens Bank Park. We provide you with detailed analysis, current odds, and expert predictions to help with your handicapping decision based on the projected lineups and confirmed starting pitchers.
Betting Odds
| ML | RL | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| STL | +157 | +1.5 | O 8.5 (-112) |
| PHI | -186 | -1.5 | U 8.5 (-108) |
At 1:05 PM ET, the Cardinals and Phillies square off in an NL matchup at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Phillies are favored on the money line at -186, while the Cardinals are listed at +157. The over/under line is set at 8.5 runs.
St. Louis enters on a remarkable nine-game winning streak with a 23-19 record, while Philadelphia has won two straight and sits at 24-17. Erick Fedde gets the start for St. Louis, facing Jesús Luzardo for the Phillies.
Team Standings & Current Form
St. Louis Cardinals (23-19)
- Division Standing: 2nd in NL Central, 1.5 games behind Cubs
- Divisional Record: 8-5
- Home/Road Split: 15-6 home, 8-13 road
- Current Streak: 9-game winning streak
- Last 10 Games: 9-1
- Series Record: 7-5-1, won 3 straight series
- Road Games: Won 4 straight
- As Favorite/Underdog: 0-0 as favorite, yet to be favored this season
Philadelphia Phillies (24-17)
- Division Standing: 2nd in NL East, 3 games behind Mets
- Divisional Record: 7-8
- Home/Road Split: 13-7 home, 11-10 road
- Current Streak: Won 2 straight
- Series Record: 9-3-1, won 3 straight road series, 5 straight overall
- Home Performance: Lost 2 straight at home (vs. Blue Jays)
- As Favorite/Underdog: 0-0 as favorite, 24-17 as underdog
Previous Game Recap
St. Louis continued their winning streak with a 3-2 victory over Philadelphia in the opener of this series. The Cardinals entered as +150 underdogs but pulled out the tight victory with a crucial two-run sixth inning, while the Phillies could only manage one run in the seventh.
Matthew Liberatore pitched 5 1/3 innings for St. Louis, allowing just two hits and two earned runs. Cristopher Sanchez delivered a quality outing for Philadelphia, surrendering two earned runs over six innings. Despite being outhit 9-5 and striking out 10 times compared to Philadelphia’s 8, the Cardinals found a way to win. Both teams hit one home run in the contest.
J.T. Realmuto went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Phillies, but it wasn’t enough. Ryan Helsley earned the save for St. Louis, preserving the victory from the bullpen.
Projected Lineups
St. Louis Cardinals
| Player | Batting Order | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Lars Nootbaar | 1 | LF |
| Willson Contreras | 2 | 1B |
| Brendan Donovan | 3 | 2B |
| Nolan Arenado | 4 | 3B |
| Iván Herrera | 5 | DH |
| Jordan Walker | 6 | RF |
| Pedro Pagés | 7 | C |
| Victor Scott II | 8 | CF |
| Masyn Winn | 9 | SS |
| Erick Fedde | – | SP |
Philadelphia Phillies
| Player | Batting Order | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Bryson Stott | 1 | 2B |
| Trea Turner | 2 | SS |
| Bryce Harper | 3 | 1B |
| Kyle Schwarber | 4 | DH |
| Nick Castellanos | 5 | RF |
| Max Kepler | 6 | LF |
| J.T. Realmuto | 7 | C |
| Alec Bohm | 8 | 3B |
| Johan Rojas | 9 | CF |
| Jesús Luzardo | – | SP |
Team Records
St. Louis Cardinals: 23-19 SU / OU 22-18 / Runline 23-19
Philadelphia Phillies: 24-17 SU / OU 18-22 / Runline 24-17
Pitching Matchup Analysis
Erick Fedde (STL)
- Season Record: 3-3
- ERA: 3.86
- Starts: 8
- Opponents’ Batting Average: .237
- Recent Form: Complete game shutout vs. Nationals (6 H, 0 BB, 8 K)
- Last 4 Starts: 2-1 record, allowed at least one home run in each outing
Jesús Luzardo (PHI)
- Season Record: 3-0
- ERA: 2.11
- WHIP: 1.21
- Quality Starts: 4 out of 8 starts
- Walks Per 9: 2.49
- Opponents’ Batting Average: .247
- Recent Form: No-decision on May 8th (5.1 IP, 2 ER)
Offensive Comparison
St. Louis Cardinals
- Team Batting Average: .259 (4th in MLB)
- Runs Per Game: 4.7
- On-Base Percentage: 3rd in MLB
- Strikeouts: 5th fewest in MLB
Key Performers:
- Lars Nootbaar: 6 HR (tied for team lead), on 5-game hitting streak, 8-for-25 in last 6 games
- Willson Contreras: 6 HR (tied for team lead)
- Iván Herrera: .355 BA, 3-for-10 with 1 HR in last 3 games
Philadelphia Phillies
- Team Batting Average: .257 (5th in MLB)
- Runs Per Game: 4.7 (9th in MLB)
- Home Runs Per Game: 5.3 at home
- On-Base Percentage: 4th in MLB
Key Performers:
- Kyle Schwarber: .268 BA with MLB-leading 14 HR, .320 with 2 HR, 4 RBIs in last 6 games
- Trea Turner: .306 BA, 2 HR, 14 RBIs (2nd on team), 9-for-27 in last 6 games
Analysis and Prediction
This matchup presents an intriguing battle between a red-hot Cardinals team riding a nine-game winning streak and a solid Phillies club playing at home. St. Louis has been remarkable during their streak, going 9-1 in their last 10 games despite being consistently cast as underdogs.
The pitching matchup favors Philadelphia, with Jesús Luzardo’s 2.11 ERA presenting a significant challenge for the Cardinals’ offense. Erick Fedde’s recent complete game shutout was impressive, but his overall 3.86 ERA and tendency to allow home runs (at least one in each of his last four starts) could be problematic against a Phillies lineup featuring Kyle Schwarber, who leads MLB with 14 home runs.
Both teams feature strong offensive units, ranking in the top five in batting average and on-base percentage. The Cardinals’ ability to avoid strikeouts (5th fewest in MLB) could help them work deeper into counts against Luzardo. However, the Phillies’ home advantage at Citizens Bank Park, where they average 5.3 runs per game, cannot be overlooked.
Weather conditions (light rain, low 60s) may favor pitchers and could impact the total. Philadelphia’s recent struggles at home (two straight losses to Toronto) might motivate them to bounce back strongly, especially with their quality pitching advantage.
Betting Pick: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 (-1.5)
While the Cardinals’ nine-game winning streak is impressive, the pitching matchup and home-field advantage strongly favor Philadelphia. Luzardo’s 2.11 ERA and undefeated record (3-0) provide a significant edge over Fedde. The Phillies’ potent offense, led by Schwarber’s league-leading home run total, should be able to generate enough runs to cover the run line. At -186, the money line doesn’t offer sufficient value, making the run line the preferred play despite the Cardinals’ hot streak ending at some point.
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