Colorado Rockies vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Prediction for Friday August 7 2026

The Colorado Rockies open a three-game National League series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday, August 7. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET, with television coverage available on MLB.TV, Rockies.TV, Cardinals.TV and KMOV-4. Colorado enters the matchup at 45-70 overall and 18-38 on the road, while St. Louis is 57-58 overall and 28-32 at home. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Bettors looking for additional Friday baseball predictions can visit our free MLB picks.

Starting Pitchers

Ryan Feltner is scheduled to start for Colorado against St. Louis right-hander Kyle Leahy. Feltner is 4-5 with a 5.75 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP through 76.2 innings. He has recorded 57 strikeouts and is coming off a victory over Kansas City in which he allowed four runs across six innings. Leahy is 7-4 with a 3.44 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP and 91 strikeouts through approximately 107 innings..

Rockies Leave Coors Field Following a Difficult Sweep

Colorado has gone 2-3 over its last five completed games and enters Friday on a three-game losing streak. The Rockies recently lost all three games of their home series against Tampa Bay, falling 13-9, 9-7 in 11 innings and 4-0. Those defeats followed consecutive victories over Kansas City by scores of 12-6 and 8-1. Colorado scored 36 runs while allowing 33 across those five contests, although 29 of those runs came during three games at Coors Field.

The Rockies are batting .255 with 554 runs, 998 hits and 130 home runs this season. Colorado owns a .323 on-base percentage and a .421 slugging percentage. The offensive numbers are stronger than those of St. Louis, but the pitching staff has consistently undermined that production. Colorado owns a 5.51 team ERA, a 1.51 WHIP and a .288 opponent batting average. Rockies pitchers have issued 369 walks while recording only 800 strikeouts.

Colorado’s ability to score is its clearest path to remaining competitive. The Rockies have scored 55 more runs than St. Louis and hold advantages in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and home runs. However, their recent production must be viewed within the context of playing at Coors Field. Colorado scored seven or more runs in three of its last five games but was shut out in the series finale and now moves into a less favorable offensive environment.

Feltner presents the most significant concern for the visitors. His 5.75 ERA and 1.46 WHIP create the possibility that St. Louis will generate frequent baserunners. He has provided some useful innings since returning to the rotation, but the Rockies have little margin for error with a pitching staff allowing opponents to bat .288. Colorado is also 20 games below .500 away from home.

Cardinals Return Home After Winning Their Series in New York

St. Louis has won three of its last five completed games and brings a 57-58 record into Friday. The Cardinals recently took two of three games from the Yankees, winning 13-7 and 3-1 around a 2-0 loss. St. Louis previously split its final two games in Toronto, earning a 5-1 victory after losing by the same score. The Cardinals scored 22 runs and allowed 16 during those five contests.

The Cardinals are batting .240 with 499 runs, 924 hits and 118 home runs this season. St. Louis has produced a .315 on-base percentage and a .379 slugging percentage. Its offense trails Colorado in every major season-long category included in this matchup, but the Cardinals possess a substantial pitching advantage. St. Louis carries a 4.12 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP and a .252 opponent batting average, with 880 strikeouts and 389 walks.

Run prevention is the primary reason to favor St. Louis. The Cardinals have allowed three runs or fewer in four of their last five games, including only four combined runs over the final two games at Yankee Stadium. Their season ERA is 1.39 runs lower than Colorado’s mark, and the Cardinals have held opposing hitters 36 points lower in batting average.

Leahy strengthens that advantage. He has been one of the Cardinals’ more dependable starters since moving into the rotation and owns an ERA more than two runs lower than Feltner’s mark. His 1.34 WHIP is not dominant, but it matches the St. Louis team average and remains considerably better than Feltner’s 1.46. The Cardinals should also benefit from facing Colorado away from Coors Field, where the Rockies are only 18-38.

St. Louis must avoid overlooking Colorado’s offensive ability. The Rockies have scored more runs and hit more home runs this season, and they recently produced 28 runs across consecutive games. However, the Cardinals have the more trustworthy pitching staff and enter after winning an important road series against a contending opponent.

Colorado Rockies vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Prediction

• Pick: St. Louis Cardinals -1.5

I am taking St. Louis on the run line if Leahy and Feltner remain the confirmed starting pitchers. The Cardinals possess a decisive pitching advantage, carrying a 4.12 team ERA compared with Colorado’s 5.51 mark. Leahy also owns advantages of more than two runs in ERA and 0.12 in WHIP over Feltner.

Colorado’s season-long offensive numbers are better, but the Rockies have struggled badly on the road. Their 18-38 away record makes it difficult to trust them after leaving Coors Field. The Rockies were also shut out in their most recent game and have now lost three consecutive contests.

St. Louis has won three of its last four games while limiting three of those opponents to one run or fewer. The Cardinals’ home record is disappointing, but this matchup provides an opportunity to improve it against a Colorado club that has lost 70 of its first 115 games. The St. Louis moneyline could be expensive, making the Cardinals -1.5 the more appealing option.

• Pick: Under 9

I prefer the under if the total is set at nine runs. Four of St. Louis’ last five games finished with six or fewer combined runs, and the Cardinals have allowed only 16 runs during that stretch. Leahy’s 3.44 ERA gives St. Louis a reasonable opportunity to contain a Colorado lineup moving away from Coors Field.

Feltner’s 5.75 ERA creates the primary risk. St. Louis could do enough damage against him and the Colorado bullpen to threaten the total without receiving much offensive help from the Rockies. However, the Cardinals are batting only .240 with a .379 slugging percentage and have scored three runs or fewer in three of their last five games.

Busch Stadium should also provide a more favorable environment for the pitchers than Colorado experienced throughout its previous homestand. I would play under nine, consider under 9.5 an even stronger option and pass if the market drops below eight. My projected score is St. Louis 5, Colorado 3.

Projected Final Score: St. Louis Cardinals 5, Colorado Rockies 3

This preview was written prior to game play on Thursday.