The Cubs and Cardinals face off in the second game of their historic London Series, with Chicago listed as -135 moneyline favorites. The game's total is set at a high 12 runs for the 10:10 am ET start at London Stadium.

Marcus Stroman (9-4, 2.28 ERA) takes the mound for the Cubs, coming off seven shutout innings against Pittsburgh. He's allowed two or fewer runs in seven straight starts and ranks sixth in NL Cy Young odds. Enemy hitters are batting just .191 against him in 2023.

The Cardinals counter with Matthew Liberatore (1-2, 6.12 ERA), who's struggled significantly. He's allowed opposing batters to hit .276/.376/.439 and has given up at least five runs in two of his last three starts. Current Cubs batters are hitting .308 against him with a 1.015 OPS.

The Cubs enter with momentum, winning nine of their last ten games while averaging 7.3 runs per game. They dominated game one of the series 9-1, powered by Ian Happ's two home runs. Six Cubs players are hitting over .300 in their last 10 games.

St. Louis has struggled offensively, scoring just one run in their last two games despite having stars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. They're batting only .253 with runners on base this season.

Given Chicago's hot offense, Stroman's dominance, and Liberatore's struggles, the Cubs moneyline (-135) offers value. The high total of 12 runs seems excessive considering Stroman's form and the Cardinals' recent offensive woes, making the under (-120) an attractive option.

Picks:

• Chicago Cubs Moneyline (-135)
• Under 12 runs (-120)

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