Cardinals vs. Cubs prediction and odds for Thursday, July 20 (Trust Steven Matz)

The St. Louis Cardinals have finally got hot, going 8-2 in the last 10 games. Even with that being the case, they're still 10 games back from the NL Central lead.

The good news is they can gain some ground in the division this weekend during a four-game set against the Chicago Cubs.

Let's dive into the odds for Thursday night's series opener and then I'll give you my best bet for the game.

Cardinals vs. Cubs odds, run line, and total

Cardinals vs. Cubs prediction and pick

Cardinals fans may get scared when they see that 0-7 Steven Matz is facing off against Marcus Stroman and his 2.88 ERA, but I'm here to tell you to not be afraid. In fact, I'd recommend betting on the Cardinals to pull off the upset.

The Cardinals offense has finally woken up in a big way. They're third in the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days. Only the Braves and Rangers have been better offensively over that time frame.

Let's also not completey count out Steven Matz. He had a 1.64 ERA in 11.0 innings pitched in June, and has had some respectable outings in July as well. He has also pitched some of his best baseball against the Cubs, not giving up a single run in 3.1 innings pitched against them.

Meanwhile, Stroman has struggles against the Cards in 2023, despite dominating almost every other team he has faced. He has given up 12 hits and eight runs (five earned) in two starts against them spanning 9.1 innings.

Let's bet on the Cardinals to stay hot tonight.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change