Read Athletics vs Cardinals Picks and Betting Odds – Wednesday September 03, 2025

Athletics

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St. Louis Cardinals

As the St. Louis Cardinals prepare to face the Oakland Athletics on September 3, 2025, they enter the matchup at Busch Stadium with middling hopes, holding a record of 69-71. Meanwhile, the Athletics sit at 64-76 and have struggled throughout the season. This game marks the third in their interleague series, with the Cardinals looking to bounce back from a lackluster performance in their previous outing.

Projected starters Matthew Liberatore and Jeffrey Springs both bring left-handed arsenals to the mound, but their recent statistics tell a different story of effectiveness. Liberatore, with a 6-11 record and a 4.32 ERA, ranks as the 163rd best starting pitcher in MLB, indicating he has had a challenging season. In contrast, Springs, despite an average ERA of 4.17 and a solid 10-9 record, is viewed as one of the poorest pitchers in MLB according to the advanced-stat Power Rankings.

Offensively, the Cardinals’ lineup has struggled, ranking 21st in MLB, while the Athletics have found more success at 7th overall. The projections favor the Athletics’ offensive depth, especially with their ability to capitalize on fly balls, which could pose a significant challenge for St. Louis. The Cardinals’ power has faltered throughout the year, ranking 25th in home runs, which may hinder their efforts against Springs.

The betting markets indicate a close contest, with both teams set at a -110 moneyline. However, considering the Cardinals’ capable bullpen, ranked 11th in MLB, and their best hitter’s recent form—hitting .429 over the past week—St. Louis might surprise as they aim to turn their average season into something more competitive. With a Game Total of 8.5 runs, fans could be in for an intriguing showdown.

Athletics Insights

• Jeffrey Springs – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+105/-135)
  The St. Louis Cardinals have 6 bats in the projected batting order that will have the benefit of the platoon advantage against Jeffrey Springs in this matchup.
  Explain: Right-handed pitchers perform worse against left-handed hitters (and visa-versa). If several hitters hold this advantage against the pitcher, it can have a huge impact on whether he will perform well or struggle on any given day.
• Lawrence Butler – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-145/+110)
  Lawrence Butler is projected to bat 8th on the lineup card today, which would be a downgrade from his 83% rate of hitting in the top-half of the lineup this season.
  Explain: The lower in the order a player bats, the fewer plate appearances he will get and the fewer opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits lower in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting higher.
• Athletics – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Athletics’ bullpen ranks as the worst among all the teams in Major League Baseball.
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a weak bullpen sneakily creates an easier matchup for the opposing offense and boosts a game’s runs.

St. Louis Cardinals Insights

• Matthew Liberatore – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+125/-160)
  Matthew Liberatore’s fastball spin rate over his last 3 outings (2051 rpm) has been significantly worse than than his seasonal rate (2112 rpm).
  Explain: Spin rate is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs, so a pitcher who improves his spin rate will likely see improved results.
• Willson Contreras – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+115/-150)
  Willson Contreras has been cold lately, with his seasonal exit velocity of 90.4-mph dropping to 78.4-mph in the last 7 days.
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Lars Nootbaar – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+140/-185)
  Lars Nootbaar hits a lot of his flyballs to center field (41.8% — 100th percentile) and will have a big advantage facing the league’s 7th-shallowest CF fences today.
  Explain: This player’s skill set matches up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• St. Louis Cardinals – Over/Under 2.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (+120/-150)
  The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 45 of their last 78 games (+7.60 Units / 8% ROI)
• Athletics – Run Line -1.5 (+155)
  The Athletics have hit the Run Line in 25 of their last 37 away games (+11.70 Units / 23% ROI)
• Willie MacIver – Over/Under 0.5 Singles (+100/-130)
  Willie MacIver has hit the Singles Under in 8 of his last 9 away games (+6.30 Units / 49% ROI)