San Diego Padres vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction: This game could go either way

The St. Louis Cardinals will clash with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday in an MLB showdown at Petco Park. Here's a detailed preview of the match along with some top betting options for this game.

The San Diego Padres are eager for a victory after dropping four of their last five games. They'll face the San Francisco Giants after this matchup. The Padres' pitching staff has struggled, allowing four or more runs in all eight games this season. Until their pitching settles down, the Padres may find it challenging to secure wins consistently. Leading the Padres offensively is Luis Campusano with 12 hits and 7 RBIs, while Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr. have combined for 20 hits and 11 RBIs. Joe Musgrove will take the mound for the Padres, sporting a 0-1 record with a 9.72 ERA and 5 strikeouts this season. Musgrove holds a career record of 2-7 with a 5.22 ERA and 67 strikeouts against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The St. Louis Cardinals aim to secure a sweep before facing the Miami Marlins later this week. They've shown strong offensive prowess in this series, tallying 11 runs, and have scored four or more runs in four consecutive games. The team holds a 3-1 record this season when scoring more than three runs. Brendan Donovan leads the Cardinals with 7 hits and 6 RBIs, while Nolan Gorman and Masyn Winn have combined for 10 hits and 3 RBIs. Taking the mound for the Cardinals is Zack Thompson, who holds a 0-1 record with an 8.44 ERA and 4 strikeouts this season.

The San Diego Padres are favored at home with Joe Musgrove on the mound, but their pitching staff has been disappointing in the early part of the season, and Musgrove hasn't been exempt from that trend in his first two starts. Similarly, Zack Thompson for the Cardinals hasn't shown significant improvement, especially with limited experience, having made just 11 career starts. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Padres' pitching staff, it's difficult to support them confidently at this point. Therefore, opting for the Cardinals with the plus money due to their value seems like a favorable choice.