Cubs vs. Cardinals Prediction, MLB Picks for Thursday, July 30

Cubs vs. Cardinals is set for first pitch at 2:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 30, with the Cardinals having a 1.81x payout if they win, via PrizePicks.

The Cubs will close out this series with SP Javier Assad (6-1, 3.86 ERA) on the mound. The Cardinals will counter with SP Andre Pallante (11-6, 3.77 ERA), who has already almost doubled his win total from last season.

Below, we’ll break down our Cubs vs. Cardinals prediction and picks for Thursday’s MLB game, including game winner, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.

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Cubs vs. Cardinals Prediction, Winner Payout, Over/Under – Thursday, July 30

The Cubs have been the more potent offensive team between these two. They rank third in runs scored and third in wRC+ (111), per FanGraphs, while the Cardinals are 17th in runs scored and 23rd in wRC+ (94).

A lack of power has been one of the reasons for the Cardinals' lack of production at the plate, proven by a .140 ISO that's the third-lowest mark in the majors.

The Cubs have excelled in that department, posting a .167 ISO. They also have the ninth-highest road slugging percentage (.404) in baseball. The Cardinals have the third-worst slugging percentage at home (.359).

Cubs vs. Cardinals Winner Payout, Over/Under – Thursday, July 30

The Cardinals enter Thursday’s game as a home favorite against the Cubs, returning a 1.81x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.

Here are the full payouts for the Cubs vs. Cardinals game on PrizePicks Team Picks — where you can make real money predictions on every MLB game!

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Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.

Cubs vs. Cardinals Prediction on Winner – Thursday, July 30

Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Cubs vs. Cardinals prediction on the winner for Thursday, July 30.

• The Cardinals have a worse record at home (28-31) than they do on the road (26-23).
• The Cubs are one of only 10 teams in baseball that have a winning record on the road (31-25).
• Chicago has a +87 run differential, while the Cardinals are -12 in that department.
• With the sixth-lowest strikeout rate (20.1%), the Cardinals don’t generate many swings and misses. Pallante has been even worse, recording a 17.7% strikeout rate.
• The last time he faced the Cardinals, Assad allowed only 2 hits and 2 walks over 4.2 scoreless innings.

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Cubs vs. Cardinals Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 7/30/26

Here are the top Cubs vs. Cardinals picks to target on PrizePicks for Thursday, July 30. Today's MLB picks for PrizePicks include Andre Pallante and Nico Hoerner.

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Cardinals SP Andre Pallante vs. Cubs: 5.5 Hits Allowed

• The Cubs have two potent left-handed hitters in OF Pete Crow-Armstrong and 1B Michael Busch and a productive switch hitter in OF Ian Happ. The trio could spell trouble for Pallante since lefties are batting .271 against the Cards' starter.
• He carries a 1.32 WHIP at home, compared to a 1.05 WHIP on the road.
• The lack of strikeouts from Pallante this season is nothing new; for his career, he has a 16.5% strikeout rate.
• In two previous meetings with the Cubs, the right-handed hurler allowed a combined 13 hits across 8.2 innings pitched. That included a game at home in which he was tagged for 8 hits across 3.0 innings.

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Cubs 2B Nico Hoerner vs. Cardinals: 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs

• Before not starting Wednesday, Hoerner was 20 for 48 (.417) with 12 RBIs and 8 runs scored over his previous 11 games.
• The 29-year-old has a disappointing .253 batting average and .297 wOBA but has been a bit unlucky. His .266 BABIP is well below his career .301 BABIP, per Fangraphs.
• After recording just a 7.6% strikeout rate last year, Hoerner remains a tough at-bat with his 8.3% strikeout rate this year.
• In his career, the standout second baseman is 4 for 11 with a double, 1 home run, and 2 walks vs. Pallante.

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Make Cubs vs. Cardinals Picks on PrizePicks

Following a 3-2 loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday, the Cubs will look to their batting order to get them back into the win column Thursday. It could be a favorable matchup against Pallante, who has struggled both at home and against left-handed hitters. The red-hot Hoerner is one Cubs hitter who stands out for a potentially productive afternoon.

Don’t wait until the first pitch — make your Cubs vs. Cardinals picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

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