The Cardinals ranked 10th in the NL in runs scored this season. They are facing Max Scherzer, who had a 1.98 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 89 strikeouts against eight walks in 68 1/3 innings with the Dodgers this season. The Dodgers do have a high-powered offense but they were one of the worst teams in baseball against curveballs this year and Adam Wainwright has a nasty hook. He also has a 2.28 ERA in his last 14 starts. This has all the feel of an old-fashioned pitchers' duel.

Amid all the deserved hype for the Cardinals' winning streak, which pushed them to finish the season having won 21 of 25, might people have slept on how good the Dodgers are? They won 106 games and won 41 of their last 52 games. That's absurd. I realize the Dodgers are compromised with Max Muncy being hurt, but they've dealt with injuries to major players all year and still put together one of the best regular-season teams in history. There's no reason to get cute here with "value" when the better team is overwhelmingly likely to win.

Max Scherzer gave up six runs in his last start and five runs before that, which is more than twice the runs he allowed in his previous nine starts with the Dodgers. His teams have won 13 straight behind him. The Cards have won 13 of Adam Wainwright’s last 14 starts. The veteran is on one of the best runs of his career. The Dodgers have won seven straight and gone Over in their last five. I look for a well-played, well-managed and well-pitched game. Both starters step up. Under is the top play here.

Both starters (Adam Wainwright, Max Scherzer) come into this game with an ERA over 5.00 in their past three starts. All the pressure is on the home team after winning 106 games in the regular season. The Dodgers will be without All-Star Max Muncy, who led the team with 36 HRs and 94 RBIs. He's also a plus defender at first base. L.A. is not as deep in years past, especially with Cody Bellinger hitting .165 with an OPS of .542 in 350 plate appearances. His WAR (wins above replacement) is -1.5 this season. Gut feeling says take Cardinals on the runline at -115.

The Dodgers were the first team in MLB history to win at least 106 games and not a division title. Crazy. And they will open the playoffs without one of their best hitters in Max Muncy (36 HR, 94 RBI), who was hurt Sunday. L.A. is incredibly deep, but that's a loss. It's Adam Wainwright vs. Max Scherzer on the mound, and Wainwright has been about as good as Scherzer has since Max was traded to the Dodgers in late July (and Scherzer struggled in his final two regular-season outings). I don't believe the Dodgers should be this heavily favored. They probably will win, but I'm taking the Cards on the runline (-115) in what looks like a potential 1-0 game.

We have a battle of ageless wonders in the NL Wild Card game in Adam Wainwright vs. Max Scherzer. In his last 10 starts, Adam Wainwright has allowed more than 2 runs just twice and pitched fewer than 6 innings just once. He also faced the Dodgers on September 8th and allowed 4 ER in 8.1 IP and picked up the win. Max Scherzer has allowed more than 2 runs just twice in his last 10 starts, but those were in each of his last 2 games. He also didn’t make it 6 innings in each of those games. Scherzer has absolutely dominated the Cardinals though, facing them twice this season and not allowing a run. But in the 2019 Wild Card game, he allowed 3 runs and 2 home runs in 5 innings, so anything can happen in a winner take all game. The Cards are the hottest team in baseball right now and with the Dodgers playing a meaningful game on Sunday, Walker Buehler will most likely not be able to piggyback Scherzer. Max Muncy could be out after getting injured on Sunday, this game should be a lot closer to 50-50. Take the value on the underdog in the Cards.

The gritty Cardinals used a 17-game win streak in September to get here, but they're playing a Dodgers team that's won 15 straight at home. And the pitching matchup favors LA. Max Scherzer faced the Redbirds on Sept. 6 and allowed one unearned run over eight innings. For the season, Scherzer has a 0.00 ERA and a ridiculous 22 strikeouts in 14 innings vs. St. Louis. Since being acquired by LA, Scherzer has a 1.98 ERA in 68.1 innings. Adam Wainwright is an ageless wonder, but the Dodgers got to him for four runs over 8.1 innings in their only matchup this season. Back the Dodgers minus 1.5 runs at -105.