Braves vs. Cardinals prediction: Picks, odds, live stream, TV channel, start time on Friday, August 26

The Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals square off on Friday with first pitch set for 8:15 p.m. ET. The game takes place at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Braves rookie Spencer Strider and Cardinals left-hander Jose Quintana are the scheduled starting pitchers.

The Braves (78-48) have won eight of their past 10 games and sit just two games back of the Mets in the NL East. Rookies Vaughn Grissom and Michael Harris II have each posted an OPS better than .950 over their past 14 games while first baseman Matt Olson has slugged six homers during that span. Strider is currently the NL Rookie of the Year favorite (-145), just ahead of Harris (+100), according to DraftKings Sportsbook. He tossed six scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts against these Cardinals back on July 7.

The Cardinals (72-53) are six games clear in the NL Central. Paul Goldschmidt continued his march toward an MVP – and possibly a Triple Crown – by bashing two homers and driving in five runs during Thursday's victory over the Cubs. Nolan Arenado is also doing his part as he's slashing .341/.394/694 in 22 games this month. Quintana has a 3.20 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in four starts since being sent from the Pirates to the Cardinals prior to the trade deadline. He lasted just 2.2 innings his last time out, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits with three walks and no strikeouts against the Diamondbacks.

Braves vs. Cardinals

Pitchers: Spencer Strider vs. Jose Quintana
First pitch: 8:15 p.m. ET
Braves local broadcast: Bally Sports Southeast
Cardinals local broadcast: Bally Sports Midwest
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)

Odds, picks & predictions

Run Line: Braves -1.5 (+120)
Run total: 7.5
Moneyline odds: Braves -145, Cardinals +125

Moneyline pick: Braves -145

This should be the game of the night in MLB. It's tough to pick against St. Louis at home and with its lineup sporting two of the hottest hitters in the game. But the Braves' lineup is even more loaded right now. Atlanta has an OPS above .800 against left-handed starters this year and should provide Strider with a good amount of run support.

Player prop pick: Robbie Grossman OVER 0.5 singles (-110)

The switch-hitting Grossman has been markedly better in Atlanta than he was prior to an August 2 trade from Detroit. He had three hits in Wednesday's triumph over the Pirates, and he is 8-for-26 (.308) in his career versus Quintana.

  
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