Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Wednesday’s game between the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals.
At just one game above .500, the Cardinals need every win they can get to keep postseason hopes alive. In comparison, the Marlins have surged to a surprising 51-55 record. Still, there’s a good chance Miami acts as a seller ahead of Thursday’s MLB trade deadline. Which of these two middling National League squads has the edge tonight? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Wednesday’s matchup between the Marlins and Cardinals.
The Cardinals are favorites (-150) over the Marlins, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Marlins vs. Cardinals prediction, preview
Traditionally, both of these franchises have prioritized pitching. However, Wednesday’s matchup doesn’t inspire much confidence. Taking the hill for the Cardinals is Miles Mikolas, making his 21st start of the season. The two-time All-Star has been a stabilizing force throughout his seven years in St. Louis. However, it looks like father time has caught up to the 36-year-old. Over 102.0 innings of work, Mikolas has posted a 4.94 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 6.2 K/9 ratio. A look at the veteran’s Baseball Savant page doesn’t paint a prettier picture. The right-hander ranks inside the 20th percentile or lower in nearly every important category, including a ghastly 17.2% whiff rate.
Despite Mikolas’ lackluster numbers, a date with the Marlins doesn’t look too daunting on paper. After all, the team is only 20th in baseball with 4.25 runs scored per game. However, that’s due in large part to playing home games at pitcher-friendly Loan Depot Park. When on the road, Miami has averaged a stellar 4.85 runs per game, the league’s fifth-best mark. In addition, the Fish own the sixth-best slugging percentage during away games (.414). That should come in handy against a flyball pitcher such as Mikolas.
For Miami, it’ll be Cal Quantrill toeing the slab. Much like his St. Louis counterpart, the veteran hasn’t been great in 2025 (5.05 ERA, 1.33 WHIP). With that being said, the Canadian has allowed just one run over his last two outings. That includes a five-inning, one-run performance last week against the heavy-hitting Brewers. In comparison, tonight’s opponent should be a far easier challenge. Since July 1st, the Cardinals have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball (80). Those struggles carried over into Tuesday’s contest, in which Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara blanked St. Louis over five frames.
Marlins vs. Cardinals pick, best bet
Mikolas has more name value, but neither of these arms deserve much benefit of the doubt. At the plate, St. Louis’ hot start has overshadowed how bad they’ve looked over the past few weeks. Contrast that with the Marlins, who have hit well outside of South Beach. It might feel like a risk for some bettors, but there’s more value on Miami tonight at plus money.