St. Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros Picks and Prediction for Saturday, April 18, 2026
Use Code WWWC The St. Louis Cardinals visit the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Saturday at 7:10 PM ET on MLB.TV. St. Louis is 10-8, third in the NL Central, while Houston is 8-12 and fifth in the AL West. The Cardinals won 5-3 over Cleveland in their most recent game, while the Astros lost 3-2 to Colorado. This is the second game of a three-game series between the teams. Build your bankroll with our free MLB picks.
St. Louis Cardinals have Momentum, but Pitching is still a Concern
The Cardinals are coming off a 5-3 win over Cleveland and have won two straight after dropping three in a row before that. St. Louis has started to stabilize with improved run production, but pitching remains an issue that has hurt the team early this season.
St. Louis is hitting .231 with a .326 on-base percentage and .369 slugging percentage, producing 80 runs on 136 hits. Jordan Walker leads the offense with a .319 average, eight home runs, and 15 RBI, while Alec Burleson is batting .279 with 14 RBI. Ivan Herrera adds a .386 on-base percentage, giving the lineup another reliable option to extend at-bats and put runners on base.
The lineup has shown balance with multiple contributors, which has helped the Cardinals stay competitive. However, run production can still come in spurts, and the team has not always been able to sustain pressure across full games against better pitching staffs.
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On the mound, St. Louis has a 4.94 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, allowing a .264 opponent average with 71 walks. The staff has struggled to limit baserunners, and that has led to extended innings and scoring opportunities for opponents. That issue has been the main concern despite recent wins.
Injuries: Hunter Dobbins, 15-Day IL, Matt Pushard, 15-Day IL, Lars Nootbaar, 60-Day IL, Ixan Henderson, 60-Day IL, Victor Santos, 60-Day IL
Houston Astros Producing Offense but Still Dealing with Pitching Issues
The Astros are coming off a 3-2 loss to Colorado and have dropped three of the last five games. Houston has shown the ability to generate offense consistently, but the inability to limit runs has made it difficult to maintain momentum.
Houston is hitting .264 with a .358 on-base percentage and .431 slugging percentage, producing 107 runs on 179 hits. Yordan Alvarez continues to lead the offense with a .328 average, seven home runs, and 18 RBI, while Jose Altuve is hitting .300 with a .417 on-base percentage. Christian Walker has added four home runs and 16 RBI, giving Houston multiple power threats.
The Astros have one of the more productive offenses in the league and consistently create scoring opportunities. Even during losses, the lineup has been able to produce, keeping the team competitive in most games.
Pitching remains the issue. Houston has a 6.01 ERA and 1.67 WHIP, allowing a .265 opponent average with 112 walks. The staff has struggled to control innings and limit damage, which has led to high-scoring games and difficulty protecting leads late.
Injuries: Bennett Sousa, 15-Day IL, Glenn Otto, Day-To-Day, Jeremy Pena, 10-Day IL, Zach Dezenzo, 10-Day IL, Tatsuya Imai, 15-Day IL
Pitching Matchup
St. Louis Cardinals – Andre Pallante
Pallante is 1-1 with a 4.80 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 15.0 innings. He has allowed 15 hits with eight walks and seven strikeouts, showing inconsistency in limiting baserunners.
Houston Astros – Mike Burrows
Burrows is 1-3 with a 6.55 ERA and 1.82 WHIP across 22.0 innings. He has allowed 33 hits and has struggled to limit baserunners, which has led to multiple high-scoring outings.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros Spread Pick
- Houston Astros
Houston has the edge due to the stronger and more consistent offense. The Astros have shown they can generate runs up and down the lineup, while St. Louis still deals with pitching issues that can be exposed against productive teams. With both staffs struggling, the advantage at the plate gives Houston a better chance to control the game.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros Over/Under Pick
- Over
This matchup will be high-scoring. Both teams have struggled to limit baserunners and prevent runs, and the starting pitching matchup supports that trend. With consistent offensive production on both sides, this game is more likely to feature plenty of runs from the first inning forward.
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