Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Wednesday\u2019s game between the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals.<\/p>\n
At just one game above .500, the Cardinals<\/a> need every win they can get to keep postseason hopes alive. In comparison, the Marlins<\/a> have surged to a surprising 51-55 record. Still, there\u2019s a good chance Miami acts as a seller ahead of Thursday\u2019s MLB trade deadline. Which of these two middling National League squads has the edge tonight? Below, I\u2019ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Wednesday\u2019s matchup between the Marlins and Cardinals.<\/p>\n The Cardinals are favorites (-150)<\/a> over the Marlins, with the over\/under set at 8.5 runs<\/a>. Let\u2019s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a> entering tonight\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n Marlins vs. Cardinals prediction, preview<\/p>\n Traditionally, both of these franchises have prioritized pitching. However, Wednesday\u2019s matchup doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s Baseball Savant<\/a> page doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Despite Mikolas\u2019 lackluster numbers, a date with the Marlins doesn\u2019t look too daunting on paper. After all, the team is only 20th in baseball with 4.25 runs scored per game. However, that\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n For Miami, it\u2019ll be Cal Quantrill toeing the slab. Much like his St. Louis counterpart, the veteran hasn\u2019t 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<\/a>. In comparison, tonight\u2019s 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\u2019s contest, in which Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara blanked St. Louis over five frames.<\/p>\n Marlins vs. Cardinals pick, best bet<\/p>\n