St. Louis Cardinals vs Atlanta Braves Prediction, 7/2/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: St. Louis Cardinals vs Atlanta Braves

Date: Thursday, July 2, 2026

Location: Truist Park in Cumberland, GA

TV: Braves.TV

Odds/Point Spread: St. Louis (+126) Atlanta (-152)

Truist Park is the location where the Atlanta Braves (49-34) will meet the St. Louis Cardinals (44-38) on Thursday. The odds on this game have St. Louis at +126 while Atlanta is coming in at -152. The total is set at 9. The expected starting pitchers are Dustin May and Grant Holmes.

The Cardinals have recorded 114 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 91 balls out of the park. St. Louis is slugging .393 and have been rung up 631 times, while being walked on 273 occasions. As a unit, the St. Louis Cardinals are recording 4.5 runs per game, which has them sitting at 16th in the league. They have accrued 355 RBI's and 676 base knocks on the season, and their batting average is .246. They have racked up 367 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .323.

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They have a K/BB ratio of 2.24 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.35. Cardinals pitchers have conceded 89 home runs and also 373 total runs (13th in baseball). St. Louis has given up 712 base knocks (8.7 per 9 innings) and 346 earned runs. The Cardinals have an ERA of 4.24 so far this year (18th in baseball), and the staff has rung up 618 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 276 hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.28 as a unit on the year.

The Cardinals relief pitchers have earned a save rate of 66.7% and have entered the game in 100 save situations. They have compiled 26 saves this season and have blown 13 of 39 save chances. The relievers have inherited 128 runners on the season and 35.2% of those players ended up crossing the plate. Cardinals relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 89 times in addition to having 97 appearances in high leverage situations. The Cardinals have sent 278 relief pitchers to the mound so far this season. The relief pitchers have tallied 59 holds for the year (3rd in MLB).

The St. Louis Cardinals have earned a total of 2,201 putouts so far this season, as well as 781 assists and 37 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .988 which puts them in 8th in baseball, and have a total of 76 double plays. The Cardinals have converted 69.6% of balls in play into outs out of 6,603 innings, which has them sitting at 18th in the majors.

May (24-26 record in his career) holds a FIP of 3.90 and he has faced 1,698 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has given up 354 hits (7.8 hits per 9 innings) and has had 135 free passes. His ERA is 3.96 (179 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.201. May has pitched in 407 frames and has accumulated 374 strikeouts so far in his MLB career.

Atlanta is sitting with 103 home runs so far this season to go along with 382 RBIs. They have put up 126 doubles, while taking a walk 246 times as well as putting up 393 runs. The Atlanta Braves have recorded a team on-base percentage of .311 as well as a team batting average of .247 for the year. The Braves have a team SLG% of .406 and they average 4.73 runs per contest (9th in MLB). They have been called out on strikes on 661 instances (25th in the league) and have earned 695 hits.

The Braves have a WHIP of 1.212 and have a FIP of 3.96 as a squad this year. They have a ranking of 3rd in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 615. The Atlanta pitching staff have allowed 307 runs over the course of the season while holding a team ERA of 3.43 (280 earned runs given up). They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.70 (712 strikeouts vs 276 bases on balls). They have relinquished 88 HR's and they relinquish 3.76 runs per 9 innings (3rd in the league).

They rank 4th in MLB holding a save percentage of 77.4%, and they have sent 256 relievers to the hill on the season. Their relief pitchers have come in 81 times in high leverage situations in addition to 54 occasions with runners on. With 85 save situations, the Braves have 51 holds and also 7 blown saves. Atlanta has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 31 save chances and they have walked away with 24 saves. Atlanta relievers hold an inherited score rate of 26.9% of 78 inherited base runners.

Out of their 6,621 innings on the diamond, the Braves have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 71.9% (3rd in the majors). The Atlanta Braves have gotten 59 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .987 (10th in MLB). The Braves have racked up 673 assists, 37 errors and are sitting with 2,207 putouts over the course of the season.

Holmes (10-14 win-loss record in his career) holds a 3.87 earned run average while giving up 8.1 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.47 and he has gone up against 1,108 hitters in his career. He has given up 112 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.307 and a FIP of 3.8. In his career, Holmes has surrendered 234 base hits while he has accumulated 262 K's in 260 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take St. Louis (+126)

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