On the evening of May 18, 2024, baseball fans will be treated to a clash between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, commencing at 7:15 PM under a sky of scattered clouds.

Boston’s Kutter Crawford, who has impressed this season with an ERA of 2.236, will take the mound for the Red Sox. Facing him from the Cardinals’ side will be Miles Mikolas, currently with a higher ERA of 6.188.

In the midst of the 2024 season, the Red Sox are 10th in the AL East Division with a record of 22-23, showing a winning percentage of .49. They have struggled within their division, recording only one win against six losses, which places them 4th in division standings. The team has seen mixed outcomes recently, securing 3 victories in their last 10 games and are trying to break a losing streak of three games. Their performance varies depending on the venue, with more wins accumulated on the road than at home.

On the other hand, the St. Louis Cardinals rank 12th in the NL Central, with a 19-25 record and a .43 winning percentage. They share a similar divisional challenge, placing 4th with a record of 1 win and 6 loses. They’ve won four of their last 10 outings, showcasing slight improvement by breaking a losing streak in their most recent game. With home and away games showing variability in outcomes, they continue to strive for consistency.

Turning to the betting odds for this matchup, the point spread is set at 1.5 in favor of the Boston Red Sox, suggesting a tight game could be anticipated. The over/under for total runs scored in the game is projected at 8.5, indicating expectations of moderate scoring. For moneyline bettors, the Red Sox are slightly favored with odds of -121, while the underdog Cardinals sit at +102, showing that betting markets are foreseeing a closely contested game. This information could be critical for sports bettors looking to gauge the potential risks and rewards for this particular game.