Cardinals vs. Braves: Game 2, prediction, odds, injuries and picks

With Spencer Strider suddenly hitting the IL on Monday, the Atlanta Braves will be forced to go with a bullpen game on Tuesday when they attempt to win a fifth straight after coming back to steal Game 1 of this series against the slumping St. Louis Cardinals.

Atlanta has yet to announce its opener for Tuesday's game. The Redbirds will send Andre Pallante to the bump, with the right-hander looking to build on a promising start to his 2025 campaign.

Cardinals vs. Braves recent form and records

St. Louis

Monday's disheartening loss to the Braves extended the Cardinals' losing streak to five games. Oliver Marmol's squad sits in fourth place in the NL Central standings, 4.5 games behind the front-running Chicago Cubs.

St. Louis has been an unmitigated disaster on the road, where it's tallied a single win through 11 overall tries, costing $100-per-bet MLB bettors $873 overall. With the offense averaging 4.7 runs per game (#7) and the pitching staff owners of a collective 4.38 ERA (#24), the over has paid out in 13 of 23 played games.

Atlanta

While the Braves still sit four games under .500 at 9-13, Brian Snitker's troops appear to be rounding into form back in the comforts of Truist Park. The team has collected nine wins since kicking the season off with a seven-game losing streak. While oddsmakers have the Mets and Phillies lined as co-favorites to win the NL East pennant, Atlanta isn't far off the pace at 3/1.

Despite that, the Braves have been a losing proposition overall for baseball bettors, with a -$641 return on investment. However, they've been profitable at home, going 7-2 to sit $253 in the black.

Injuries

St. Louis

Masyn Winn SS 10 Day IL - Back
Ivan Herrera C 10 Day IL - Foot
Zack Thompson RP 60 Day IL - Lat

Atlanta

Ronald Acuna Jr. RF 10 Day IL - Knee
Nacho Alvarez Jr. SS 10 Day IL - Wrist
Spencer Strider SP 15 Day IL - Hamstring
Reynaldo Lopez SP 60 Day IL - Shoulder
Joe Jimenez RP 60 Day IL - Knee

Starting Pitchers

Andre Pallante (2-1, 3.22 ERA in 2025)

Allowed 17 hits (3 HR) and 8 ER with a 15:7 K/BB ratio in four 2025 starts.
Tossed 6.0 IP of 7 hits (1 HR) and 4 ER ball with 2:0 K/BB ratio vs. New York in last start.
0-1 with a 12.15 ERA and 6:1 K/BB ratio in 6.2 career IP thrown vs. Atlanta.
0-1 with a 5.23 ERA and 8:3 K/BB ratio in 10.1 IP on the road in 2025.
This will be his first career start at Truist Park.

Must-Watch Hitters

St. Louis

With the Cardinals only averaging 3.0 runs throughout the losing streak, it's tough to get excited about backing the player props of anyone on the roster.

However, Willson Contreras' bat looks to be coming around with the righty hitting safely in four straight games. Here's to hoping he carries the momentum of hitting that ninth-inning homer last night into this evening's rematch.

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Atlanta

The no-brainer bat to back in Atlanta's lineup is Austin Riley. The third baseman is in the midst of a heater, having hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games with five home runs and 12 RBIs. One of his two hits last night left the yard.

Adding to the pot is the fact that he's a perfect 3-for-3 with a single, double and home run in three career at-bats against Andre Pallante. He's 4/1 to go yard tonight, and he's near even money to go for 2+ bases and +160 to collect 1+ RBI.

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Cardinals vs. Braves Betting Odds

Tuesday 4/22	Money Line	Run Line	Total Runs
St. Louis Cardinals	+130	+1.5 -162	O 8.5 -112
Atlanta Braves	-155	-1.5 +136	U 8.5 -105

Cardinals vs. Braves expert picks and game prediction

All the momentum resides in the Atlanta Braves' dugout. The Cardinals have struggled in the absence of Masyn Winn and Ivan Herrera, while the Braves are surging, even without all the pieces in place.

Even without confirmation of tonight's starter, there's little reason to shy away from laying the moderate chalk with the home team at DraftKings Sportsbook, as Atlanta looks to lock down back-to-back series wins for the first time in 2025.

Cardinals vs. Braves Prediction: Atlanta Wins 5-4

About the author

Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of Kansas with dreams of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and team physician. However, his career path took a different turn as he ventured into sports handicapping, writing, and editing.

While preparing for the MCAT, Mike applied to contribute to a site offering free sports picks, which proved to be a pivotal step. His success there garnered interest from larger platforms and startups. Despite his efforts, organic chemistry derailed his medical school ambitions, and he chose to shift fully into sports betting and fantasy sports content creation.

Over a 20-year career, Mike has navigated the highs and lows of professional sports betting. His experience spans working on a late-night sports talk radio show, covering the Chicago Rush in the Arena Football League, managing a content distribution company, owning and operating a vape shop, and creating one of the first profitable DFS affiliate sites—an endeavor that helped buy his current home.

When offline, Mike enjoys working out his green thumb, coaching his son’s sports teams, hosting tea parties with his daughter, and relaxing with his wife and friends. A die-hard Kansas Jayhawks fan, he also proudly bleeds Cubbie blue.

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Edited by Mike Rose