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Cardinals vs. Astros prediction: Houston favored to win Friday's MLB matchup [4/17/2026]
Updated: | First published:
Written by Jason Bevilacqua, Head of Content and Communities
Get St. Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros predictions for MLB Friday.
The Houston Astros will square off with the St. Louis Cardinals in MLB action at Daikin Park on Friday, beginning at 8:10 PM ET.
Peter Lambert (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for the Astros, while the Cardinals are going with Kyle Leahy (1-2, 5.14 ERA).
Based on the latest simulations, Dimers' proven MLB model predicts the Astros as the most likely winner of the Cardinals vs. Astros game.
This article offers a closer look at Friday's matchup, including best bets and picks.
Cardinals vs. Astros prediction: Who will win and cover?
Using trusted machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the outcome of Friday's MLB matchup between the Cardinals and Astros, forming part of our MLB predictions coverage.
Our famous predictive model gives the Astros a 57% chance of beating the Cardinals.
According to our model, the Cardinals (+1.5) have a 61% chance of covering the run line, while the over/under total of nine runs has an equal 50-50 chance of hitting.
Cardinals vs. Astros odds [4/17/2026]
We have researched the best MLB odds in America for this game, which are listed here:
| Bet Type | Cardinals | Astros |
|---|---|---|
| Run Line | +1.5 (-182) | -1.5 (+155) |
| Moneyline | +119 | -138 |
| Total | o9 (+100) | u9 (-102) |
All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Cardinals vs. Astros picks and best bet
After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:
| Bet Type | Pick | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|
| Run Line | Astros -1.5 | +155 |
| Moneyline | Astros | -138 |
| Total | Over 9 | +100 |
According to our MLB best bets, the top play to make on this game is Over 9 total runs.
These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.
Cardinals vs. Astros game-day updates and essential details
Friday's MLB matchup between the Astros and Cardinals at Daikin Park is scheduled to commence at 8:10 PM ET.
- Who: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Houston Astros
- Date: Friday, April 17, 2026
- Time: 8:10 PM ET/5:10PM PT
- Venue: Daikin Park
Conclusion
We predict the Astros, with a 57% win probability, will likely beat the Cardinals in Friday's MLB matchup.
Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.
Jason Bevilacqua, an expert in MLB, NHL, NBA, MLS, and NFL, delivers game previews, best bets, and props. Since 2020, as Head of Social and Community at Dimers, he has contributed insightful articles utilizing data-driven models and simulations.
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