Atlanta Braves vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Prediction for Sunday July 12, 2026
Use Code SSWC The Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals continue their series on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. First pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET, with television coverage on MLB.TV. Atlanta enters the matchup with a 54-39 overall record and a 27-21 record on the road, while St. Louis is 49-44 overall and 25-25 at home. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. ESPN Analytics gives the Braves a razor-thin 50.2% chance of winning compared with 49.8% for the Cardinals. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks.
Starting Pitchers
Atlanta is expected to send JR Ritchie to the mound. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP across 45.0 innings. He has allowed 38 hits, struck out 42, walked 28, and surrendered seven home runs. St. Louis is scheduled to counter with Dustin May, who owns a 5-6 record with a 4.55 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP over 89.0 innings. May has allowed 87 hits while recording 85 strikeouts against 24 walks, also giving up seven home runs. The ERAs are nearly identical, while May has logged nearly twice as many innings and carries the lower WHIP.
Atlanta Looks to Regain the Series Momentum
The Braves enter Sunday’s contest with a 54-39 overall record and a solid 27-21 mark away from home. Atlanta has gone 2-3 over its last five games. The Braves most recently dropped a 2-1 decision to St. Louis after winning back-to-back games against Pittsburgh by scores of 10-5 and 3-0. Before those victories, Atlanta lost 12-4 to Pittsburgh and suffered a 7-6 extra-inning loss against the Mets.
Atlanta is batting .247 with 455 runs, 782 hits, and 120 home runs. The Braves own a .313 on-base percentage and a .411 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff has compiled a 3.60 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP while holding opponents to a .230 batting average. Atlanta has also recorded 789 strikeouts while issuing 311 walks. The Braves are 14-13 in day games.
Sign Up Get $30 Premium Picks Credit + Exclusive Offers
Subscribe Now
Atlanta’s greatest strength is its pitching. The Braves own the lower ERA, lower WHIP, and lower opponent batting average compared to St. Louis. They have also outscored the Cardinals by 33 runs this season and hit 14 more home runs. Those advantages have helped Atlanta maintain one of the stronger overall records in this matchup despite a recent loss in the series opener.
St. Louis Aims to Keep Rolling at Busch Stadium
The Cardinals bring a 49-44 overall record and an even 25-25 home mark into Sunday’s game. St. Louis has gone 2-3 over its last five contests. The Cardinals recently edged Atlanta 2-1 after alternating wins and losses in a series against Milwaukee. During that stretch, they defeated Milwaukee 5-1 but lost by scores of 8-4, 10-2, and 4-3 before opening this series with a victory.
St. Louis is batting .243 with 422 runs, 758 hits, and 106 home runs. The Cardinals have posted a .319 on-base percentage and a .393 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff owns a 4.17 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .252. St. Louis has recorded 698 strikeouts while issuing 310 walks. The Cardinals are 16-20 in day games.
The Cardinals’ biggest offensive advantage is their ability to reach base. Their .319 on-base percentage is slightly better than Atlanta’s .313 mark. However, St. Louis trails the Braves in runs scored, home runs, team ERA, WHIP, and opponent batting average. The Cardinals will look to build on Friday’s low-scoring victory as they attempt to secure another win at home.
Atlanta Braves vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Prediction
Atlanta Braves vs St. Louis Cardinals Pick
- Pick: Atlanta Braves Moneyline
Atlanta is my moneyline selection based on its stronger season-long profile. The Braves have the better overall record, the better road record, and hold advantages in runs scored, home runs, ERA, WHIP, opponent batting average, and strikeouts. Although St. Louis won Friday’s opener 2-1, Atlanta has consistently been the stronger club over the course of the season. ESPN Analytics also gives the Braves a slight edge, making Atlanta my preferred side.
Atlanta Braves vs St. Louis Cardinals Total Pick
- Pick: Take the under if the total is set at 8.0
I would take the under if the total is set at 8.0. Friday’s opener between these teams finished with only three total runs, and both starting pitchers enter with ERAs in the mid-4.00 range. Atlanta’s pitching staff has been one of the better units in this matchup with a 3.60 ERA, while neither offense has consistently produced high-scoring results during its recent five-game stretch. With the Braves’ pitching numbers standing out, I like the under if the total is set at 8.0.
Final Score Prediction: Atlanta Braves 4 – St. Louis Cardinals 3
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Saturday.
Never Tried Picks and Parlays? Now Is Your Chance
- Get your first daily picks package for ONLY $1 using coupon code BUCK
- If the pick loses, we credit your account with 3 Flex Picks
- If the pick wins, we still give you 1 Flex Pick on the house
- Win or lose, you walk away ahead. One dollar. No catch.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
