Kingpin recommended betting on Yordan Alvarez to homer at +300 odds, emphasizing his strong matchup against Cardinals starter Erick Fedde, a righty who lacks overpowering velocity. With Busch Stadium’s setting favorable for power hitters, Alvarez has a good opportunity to break out and hit a home run, especially after quieter recent games.

Jim Sannes recommends betting the under on Hunter Brown's 5.5 strikeout prop against the Cardinals. Sannes acknowledges Brown's overall talent but highlights two critical obstacles: Busch Stadium's below-average strikeout-friendly nature and the Cardinals' roster, which holds a notably low 20.7% strikeout rate against right-handed pitchers, approximately two points lower than the league average since the start of last year. With factors considered, Sannes projects Brown for around 5.24 strikeouts, a number correlated historically to a 61.1% incidence of going under the listed line. These circumstances push strongly towards betting the under even for a talented pitcher like Brown.

Kenny G gives a slight lean towards backing the Cardinals at home against Houston at a plus money (+105) line. He emphasizes Cardinals' consistently strong hitting performance throughout the season, noting they recorded only one double-digit scoring game (12 runs vs Angels), but still maintain consistent offensive productivity. Kenny believes pitcher Eric Feedy is at least as reliable as Houston's Hunter Brown, further bolstering the Cardinals' advantage at home. Despite some bullpen concerns, Kenny finds the offensive edge and home field advantage intriguing enough to warrant consideration at plus odds.

Drew Martin strongly recommends betting on Hunter Brown and the Astros as short road favorites against the Cardinals due to Brown's impressive early-season form. Brown has reliably pitched six innings in each of his first three starts, compiling 18 strikeouts versus only 3 walks. His ERA and FIP are both excellent at 2.00, and Drew cites a clear bullpen advantage for Houston over Cardinals starter Erick Fedde, whose velocity is declining and who holds a 4.20 ERA. Drew solidified this recommendation by labeling it the 'best bet' of the day, confidently laying the -115 price.

Cash Out Sports Picks advised taking the Cardinals money line against the Astros, explaining that St. Louis has momentum following their recent winning streak and success at home, winning four of their last five games at Busch Stadium. Conversely, the Astros have not won back-to-back games all season, hinting at inconsistency. Both starting pitchers have performed well recently, but the Cardinals home advantage and recent form made them the superior wager in this matchup according to Cash Out Sports Picks.

Bryan Zarpentine recommends betting on Jose Altuve going over 1.5 hits/runs/RBI at -115 odds. Despite an 0-for-4 showing on Sunday, Altuve has consistently surpassed this prop mark in 10 of his last 13 games. Serving as a key leadoff hitter for the Astros, he contributes in multiple ways. His strong historical success against Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray, batting .333 with 13 hits in 39 at-bats, further supports expectations of a positive rebound.

Kenny G recommends backing the Cardinals at plus 100 against Houston, citing St. Louis' hot hitting as the primary driver. The Cards rank impressively 5th in MLB runs scored, 2nd in batting average, and 1st in on-base percentage. Their offense is led by Brendan Donovan (.350 average) and Herrera (4 HRs, 11 RBIs). While he noted Framber Valdez's overall strong ERA (2.50), Kenny emphasized Valdez's inconsistency, recalling a disastrous start against the Giants earlier this season. Cardinals starter Sonny Gray has shown better command recently, with no walks over his last two starts, further supporting the Cardinals' bet in his eyes, even though there's been some early-season bullpen questions (4.35 ERA).

Scott Reichel sees clear value backing Houston Astros at a short price (-120) against the Cardinals due to Framber Valdez's early-season strong form. Valdez has delivered two scoreless outings, his only poor start (5 runs) coming against the Giants. Conversely, Sonny Gray (4.50 ERA), despite the Cardinals winning all three of his starts, has been inconsistent—allowing five runs to the Angels in a single outing. Both teams have middling early-season records, but Reichel firmly believes Valdez holds a decisive pitching advantage in this matchup, enough to justify the bet on Houston at this price.

Cash Out Sports Picks encouraged betting on the St. Louis Cardinals to cover the spread (+1.5) against the Houston Astros, primarily due to the Cardinals' recent strength in pitching and run-line performance. The Cardinals covered the run line in three of their last five games, including strong matchups against the Phillies. Astros pitcher Framber Valdez presents a challenging opponent, but the Astros themselves have struggled against the run line recently, failing in five of their past six games after a win. With Sonny Gray, who pitched impressively in his last start, taking the mound for St. Louis alongside bullpen strength allowing just 0.16 HR per nine innings, the Cardinals are positioned to perform well enough to cover as underdogs.

Cash Out Sports Picks anticipated a pitching duel between Framber Valdez of the Astros and Sonny Gray of the Cardinals, advising bettors to play the Under total. Both pitchers were sharp in recent starts, and the trend data supports going Under: Houston has been Under in six of nine non-divisional games, and St. Louis's last four games have also hit Under totals. Both bullpens have excelled, notably the Cardinals' relievers allowing only 0.16 HR per nine innings and Houston's bullpen similarly strong with 0.66 HR per nine innings. Expect lower-scoring gameplay given the pitching matchup, recent tendencies towards lower scoring, and both teams' bullpen reliability.

Matt Perrault likes the Cardinals as a home dog at even money against the Astros, highlighting pitching matchups and scheduling advantages. Sonny Gray, the Cardinals' ace, has been solid through three starts, allowing just two earned runs in five innings on opening day and one earned run in five innings last time out against Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Framber Valdez enters with a 1-1 record and 2.50 ERA but had a tough outing earlier in the year against the Giants, allowing five earned runs in five innings. Perrault also emphasized that Houston had late travel after playing the Angels at home last night, while the Cardinals stayed home after comfortably beating the Phillies 7-0. Given these factors, he believes St. Louis at even money as a home underdog provides clear betting value.

Just A Bet Outside highlighted Jose Altuve as one of the hitters with a strong matchup today against Sonny Gray, noting Altuve's historical success of going 12-for-35 (.343 average) with an extra-base hit off Gray. Although the power numbers aren't overwhelming, the consistent batting average over this sizable sample suggests Altuve represents solid value in DFS formats or hitting prop bets today.

With both teams sharing identical 7-8 records, the Astros are notably rated higher (-121 moneyline favorites) according to Data Skrive's computer analysis facing the Cardinals (+101). Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, riding a three-game home run streak, fuels confidence in an offensive advantage for Houston. The total (7.5 runs) is confidently projected to hit over suggesting an Astros-backed high scoring match offers actionable betting value.

Greg Peterson recommends betting the Cardinals money line at +104 due to Sonny Gray's significant home-road splits. Gray, acquired by the Cardinals last year, thrives at home accumulating a stellar 3.10 ERA and limiting the long ball effectively (0.7 HR per 9 innings allowed at home), yet struggles considerably on the road (4.98 ERA). Opponent Framber Valdez has shown command issues early in 2025 with seven walks allowed through three starts and metrics suggest looming regression from his current ERA (2.50 ERA versus a 3.60 FIP). With the Astros offense still sputtering below four runs per game, Peterson sees St. Louis as having distinct value in this matchup.