Braves vs. Cardinals prediction and odds for Monday, April 3 (Back St. Louis as home underdogs)

Two division winners from last season meet in St. Louis on Monday night to start a three game series.

Both the Cardinals and Atlanta Braves started 2-1 over the weekend, and will look to cement themsevles as National League contenders in an early season measuring stick meeting.

The Braves will hand the ball to veteran, 39-year-old Charlie Morton while the Cardinals counter with righty 26-year-old Jake Woodford.

Here's our betting preview for this NL showdown:

Braves vs. Cardinals odds, run line and total

Braves vs. Cardinals prediction and pick

Both of these teams are bon a fide contenders in the NL this season, and I'll give the edge to the home underdog on Monday night. While Woodford has limited big league experience, only 10 career starts after operating out of the bullpen for the better part of three seasons, he looked strong in two Spring Training starts (and three stints out of the pen), allowing only four earned runs in over 17 innings of work.

Morton has a plus curveball still and is a work horse for the Braves, but he started to show his age in 2022, posting a 4.34 ERA across 31 starts. He also had a 6.00 ERA in Spring Training, so there may be a tax associated with the righty.

Meanwhile, the Cards offense was fantastic in the team's first series' against a playoff hopeful in the Toronto Blue Jays, posting a .435 on-base percentage across the three game series. The Braves were able to clean up against the lowly Nationals, but I left quite impressed with the Cards over the weekend and I'll take them to pull a small home upset on Monday.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.