St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants prediction, September 29, 2024 MLB tips, best bets and odds

Game: St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants

Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024

Location: Oracle Park in San Francisco, California

TV: NBC Bay Area

The San Francisco Giants (79-80) play against the St. Louis Cardinals (81-78) on Sunday at Oracle Park. The expected starting pitchers will be Michael McGreevy and Hayden Birdsong.

St. Louis has a .390 slugging percentage and has been called for strikes 1,290 times while walking 462 times. They have compiled 620 runs batted in and 1,328 hits this year, and their batting average is .246. As a team, the Cardinals hit 248 doubles and threw 163 baseballs out of the stadium. They have amassed 655 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .310. As a team, the St. Louis Cardinals score 4.1 runs per contest, ranking 23rd in the MLB.

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The Cardinals have a team ERA of 4.06 so far this season (17th in baseball) and their team has struck out 1,287 batters. Cardinals pitchers have allowed 173 long balls and 709 runs (18th in MLB). They have defeated 449 opposing players and their FIP as a team is 3.97 this season. St. Louis gave up 1,336 base hits (8.5 per 9 innings) and 639 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.87 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.26.

The Cardinals’ relievers have a save percentage of 65.9% and have appeared in 182 save situations. Relief pitchers took on 218 runners this year and 37.2% of them ended up scoring. Cardinals relievers have taken runners to the mound 159 times and have also made 183 appearances in high-leverage situations. The Cardinals put 500 relief pitchers on the mound over the course of the season. Relief pitchers have a total of 100 holds this year (6th in the league). They have made 54 saves and missed 28 of 82 save chances so far this year.

The St. Louis Cardinals recorded 4,254 putouts this season along with 1,496 assists and 72 errors. Their fielding percentage is .988, which ranks them 4th in the MLB, and they have made 151 double plays. The Cardinals have converted 69.7% of balls hit into outs in 12,762 innings on the diamond, ranking them 16th in the majors.

McGreevy has pitched 15 frames and had 12 punchouts in his career. His ERA is 2.40 (4 ERs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 0.867. He has allowed 11 hits (6.6 hits per 9 innings) with 2 walks. McGreevy (2-0 in his career) has a 2.36 FIP and has faced 57 opposing batters during his time in the Major Leagues.

San Francisco leads with 176 long balls and 653 RBIs on the campaign. They hit 259 two-baggers, were given a free base 487 times and scored 683 runs. The San Francisco Giants have posted a team OBP of .305 and a team batting average of .238 this year. The Giants have a team SLG% of .396 and are scoring 4.30 runs per contest (17th in MLB). They yielded 1,431 hits (9th in the MLB) and totaled 1,276 hits.

San Francisco’s pitching staff has given up 682 runs this season while maintaining a 4.07 ERA (636 earned runs conceded). They have given up 151 home runs and are allowing 4.36 runs per 9 innings (15th in the league). The Giants have a team WHIP of 1.291 and a FIP of 3.80 as a roster this year. Her strikeout-to-walk ratio is 9.00 (1,408 strikeouts against 510 bases on balls). With a total of 1,306 hits, they rank 21st in baseball.

With 153 saves, the Giants have 98 saves and 18 missed saves. San Francisco asked bullpen pitchers to compete in 53 save opportunities, and they made 35 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have taken the mound 151 times in high-leverage situations and 129 times with base runners. San Francisco relievers have an inherited scoring percentage of 34.6% of their 188 inherited baserunners. They rank 9th in baseball with a save rate of 66.0% and have fielded 551 relievers this season.

In their 12,660 innings pitched, the Giants have a defensive efficiency of 68.4% (25th in baseball). The San Francisco Giants have made 134 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .985 (14th in baseball). The Giants have amassed 1,530 assists, 86 errors and 4,220 putouts this season.

Birdsong (career mark 5-5) has a 4.69 earned run average and allowed 7.1 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.93 and has faced 295 opposing batters in his professional baseball career. He allowed 35 ERs while having a WHIP of 1.384 and a FIP of 4.6. So far in his career, Birdsong has given up 53 hits while recording 77 K’s in 67 innings.

Who will win tonight’s MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald’s pick: Take St. Louis

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