Tigers-Cardinals prediction: Picks, odds on Saturday, May 6

Another bullpen meltdown let to yet another gut-punch loss amid a disastrous start for the St. Louis Cardinals, who've now dropped seven in a row and 10 of their last 11 after falling to the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game set on Friday night. St. Louis will look to snap the skid while the surprisingly pesky Tigers look for another series win in a Saturday matinee at Busch Stadium, with first pitch set for 2:15 p.m. ET. Spencer Turnbull (1-4, 6.84 ERA) will go for Detroit, while Adam Wainwright is fully healed from a spring groin injury and will finally make his season debut for St. Louis.

The Cardinals are a -195 favorite on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Tigers are +165 underdogs. The run total is set at 9.

Tigers

Out: OF Kerry Carpenter (shoulder), OF Austin Meadows (anxiety), RP Beau Brieske (elbow), RP Trey Wingenter (biceps)

Cardinals

Out: OF Tyler O'Neill (back), SP/RP Jake Woodford (shoulder), RP Packy Naughton (forearm), C Tres Barrera (knee), INF Jose Fermin (quad)

Spencer Turnbull vs. Adam Wainwright

Turnbull is coming back from an injury of his own, having missed the last year and a half due to Tommy John surgery. He got off to an understandably bumpy start this season, allowing 12 runs over his first eight innings, but has been rounding into form recently with three or fewer earned runs allowed in each of his last four starts. His fastball is still a tick down from where it was pre-injury, while his slider isn't earning nearly the whiffs that it used to, but those two things should improve with time.

The Cardinals are hoping Wainwright can fix what's ailed an incredibly disappointing rotation so far this year. The righty tweaked his groin while participating in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, but he's built up to 89 pitches over three rehab starts and is looking to recapture his form from last year, when he posted a 3.71 ERA. The 41-year-old barely sniffs 90 on the radar gun anymore, but he still is capable of generating tons of weak contact by keeping hitters off balance.

Turnbull is trending in the right direction, and he should be able to at least keep the Tigers competitive against a Cardinals offense that's been middling against righties so far this year. Wainwright, meanwhile, is built up enough that he should look something like his old self, generating ground balls aplenty and helping the under hit here.

Pick: Under 9

It has to end at some point, right? Why not Wainwright, who has great numbers against most of Detroit's major hitters and should hopefully get a bit of run support.

Pick: Cardinals

  
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