Cardinals vs. Red Sox: $1,500 Risk-Free Bet with Caesars Promo Code VIMAXSPORT15

Dan Zaksheske Sports Betting Expert

2 minute read

The Red Sox and Cardinals will begin a three-game intraleague series tonight at Fenway Park. Boston is coming off just its third loss this month after falling to the Athletics yesterday afternoon. The Cardinals had yesterday off after finishing a four-game series against the Pirates in which they went 3-1.

The Cards will enter game one of the series as a slight underdog on the road, currently at +100 on the moneyline while the Sox are -120. Those odds are courtesy of Caesars where you can get a $1,500 risk-free bet with our promo code VIMAXSPORT15!

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St. Louis (37-28) leads the NL Central and is 5-2 in their last seven games following a sweep at Tampa Bay last week. They’ll send longtime ace, 40-year-old Adam Wainwright, to the hill in tonight’s contest. Wainwright suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2015 and suffered through several tough seasons that led many to believe his career may be ending.

However, he’s had a career resurgence since 2020. Wainwright, whose career ERA sits at 3.34, has an ERA of 3.03 since the start of the COVID-shortened ’20 season. He’s started 54 games in that stretch and tossed 345 innings.

That roll has continued into 2022 where his ERA is currently under 3.00, sitting at 2.84. He’s been especially good at keeping the ball inside the ballpark; his home runs per nine innings this season is just 0.6, which would be his lowest mark since 2014.

Wainwright has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last three starts and five of his last seven. As traditional “workhorse” starting pitchers seem to be harder to find, Wainwright is finding success in his very old-school role. He’s also recorded a quality start in seven of his last eight starts. You can bet on that streak to continue; the Cards are -175 to record a QS today at Caesars. Remember, you can get a $1,500 risk-free bet with our promo code VIMAXSPORT15!

Opposing Wainwright is someone with whom the Cardinals are very familiar: Michael Wacha. Wacha and Wainwright were teammates in St. Louis for seven seasons from 2013-19 before Wacha signed with the Mets. He struggled in New York and then in Tampa last season before signing with the Red Sox.

Wacha, like Wainwright, has seen a bit of a career resurgence. After posting a 5.11 ERA from 2019-2021, he’s been excellent this seen to the tune of a 2.33 mark. Although his strikeout numbers are down – 6.0 punchouts per nine this season; 7.9 for his career – his 1.00 WHIP would represent a career-best.  

After tossing a complete-game shutout against the Angels in a 1-0 victory on June 6, Wacha struggled in his most recent start. He lasted just 4.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) while surrendering eight hits and a walk against the Seattle Mariners. It was just the third time this season the Sox lost a game that Wacha started (7-3 in his 10 starts).

Cardinals slugger Nolan Arenado has teed off on Wacha over his career, blasting three homers in 13 at-bats while posting a .462 average and 1.154 slugging percentage. Paul Goldschmidt has struggled in his career against the right-hander, batting just .182 in 11 at-bats with six strikeouts.

No hitter on the Red Sox roster has ever homered off Wainwright. Former Rockies shortstop Trevor Story has seen him the most frequently since he spent six seasons in the National League but is batting just .143 in 14 at-bats with zero extra-base hits.

Written by Dan Zaksheske, our US sports betting industry expert.

Dan Zaksheske

Dan comes to VegasInsider with over a decade of sports media experience. After spending nearly 10 years as a producer at ESPN Radio, Dan decided to combine his two main passions into one career – sports and writing. Dan is a researched-based writer with a strong attention to detail and penchant for turning nerdy sports stats into entertaining commentary. He is an NFL expert with a strong background in MLB, the NHL, and the PGA. Outside of sports and writing, Dan is an admitted cat-enthusiast with three of his own. He is also a rookie umpire who recently began calling games for middle and high school kids. More from Dan Zaksheske