Picks, predictions for Dodgers vs. Cardinals on Friday, May 19

The Los Angeles Dodgers (28-17) will look to even their four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals (19-26) on Friday night, after the Cards took the opener in a 16-8 slugfest thanks to a whopping seven home runs. First pitch Friday night is set for 8:15 p.m. ET from Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. Tony Gonsolin (1-1, 1.42 ERA) will go for L.A., while lefty Steven Matz (0-4, 5.62) looks to get back on track for the Redbirds.

The Dodgers are -125 moneyline favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, making the Cardinals +105 underdogs with the over/under set at nine.

Dodgers-Cardinals picks: Friday, May 19

Injury report

Dodgers

Out: SP Dustin May (elbow), SP Michael Grove (groin), SP Ryan Pepiot (oblique), SP Jimmy Nelson (elbow), 2B Gavin Lux (knee), RP Daniel Hudson (knee), RP Blake Treinen (shoulder), SP Walker Buehler (elbow), RP JP Feyereisen (shoulder), RP Alex Reyes (shoulder)

Cardinals

Day to day: 2B Tommy Edman (abdomen)

Out: OF Dylan Carlson (ankle), OF Tyler O’Neill (back), SP Jake Woodford (shoulder), SP Packy Naughton (forearm), RP Wilking Rodriguez (shoulder)

Starting pitchers

Tony Gonsolin vs. Steven Matz

Gonsolin will make his fifth start of the 2023 season after opening the year on the injured list with an ankle injury. He’s been excellent in a limited sample size this season, allowing zero earned runs in three of his four appearances.

Matz will make his ninth start, coming off an outing where he allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk over 5.1 innings in a win over the Boston Red Sox. St. Louis lost his first six starts of this season before winning the previous two.

Over/Under pick

I’m not saying this matchup will reach 24 runs like it did last night, but there’s a lot to like about the over on Friday night. Both offenses are scoring more than five runs per game, and they’re both inside the top five in slugging percentage in 2023.

Pick: Over 9

Moneyline pick

Los Angeles has a fairly significant pitching edge in this matchup, and these are great odds to side with the Dodgers as slight favorites. Matz had an ERA above five last season, and it’s continued into 2023, while Gonsolin is coming off a fantastic year when he had a 2.14 ERA and hasn’t missed a beat despite the late start.

Pick: Dodgers