Cardinals vs. Cubs line, odds, start time, spread pick, best bets for Friday's National League Central matchup from proven model

The St. Louis Cardinals will look to extend their winning streak to three games when they take on the National League Central-rival Chicago Cubs on Friday in Chicago. The Cardinals (33-34), who have won three consecutive games against Chicago dating back to last season, are 16-19 on the road in 2024. The Cubs (33-36), who are 4-6 over the past 10 games, have played well at home, going 18-13 at Wrigley Field.     

First pitch is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET. The Cubs are the -123 money line favorite (risk $123 to win $100) in the latest Cardinals vs. Cubs odds, while St. Louis is a +103 underdog. The over/under for total runs scored is 7.5

Before you make any Cardinals vs. Cubs picks or MLB predictions, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It entered Week 12 of the 2024 MLB season on a 129-105 run on top-rated MLB picks dating back to last season. It has excelled on top-rated run-line picks during that span, going 20-8 (+809). Anybody following has seen HUGE returns!

The model knows center fielder Cody Bellinger is among the top Cubs hitters. He has a five-game hitting streak, and was 5-for-13 (.385) with a double, homer and three RBI in the three-game series at Tampa Bay this week. He has five multi-hit games over the past 10, including a 3-for-4 performance in a 5-2 loss to Cincinnati on June 2. In that game he doubled and drove in a run. In 50 career games against the Cardinals, he is hitting .240 with five doubles, six homers and 32 RBI.

The model also knows helping power the Cardinals offense is shortstop Masyn Winn. A former second round pick by St. Louis in the 2020 MLB Draft, Winn is batting .302 with 12 doubles, three triples, three homers, 24 RBI and 23 runs scored. He was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored in Thursday's win over Pittsburgh. He has four multi-hit games over the past eight, including a 3-for-3 performance with a homer and two RBI in an 8-5 loss at Houston on June 4. In three games against Chicago this season, he is hitting .429 with a double and an RBI. 

The model has simulated Cardinals vs. Cubs 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you the model is leaning Over on the run total, predicting a combined 10.1 runs, and it also says one side of the money line has ALL the value!

Who wins Cardinals vs. Cubs, and which side of the spread has ALL the value? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the spread you should be all over, all from the model on a 129-105 roll on top-rated MLB picks!