NL Wild Card 2021: Cardinals vs. Dodgers Odds, Schedule and Prediction

It took the entire 162-game season to settle it, but the National League Wild Card Game is finally locked in. The Los Angeles Dodgers (106-56) will host the St. Louis Cardinals (90-72) in a one-game playoff, with the winner going on to face the San Francisco Giants (107-55) in the National League Division Series.

The game will be held at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, with first pitch set for 8:10 p.m. ET on TBS. According to FanDuel, the Dodgers are the opening favorites at -230, while the Cardinals are a slight underdog at +190. The spread is 1.5 runs, and the over/under is 7.5 runs.

Heading into Sunday's finale, the Dodgers needed a win coupled with a Giants loss, to force a Game 163 to decide the NL West title. The boys in blue did their part, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 10-3. But the Giants, who many considered a non-factor prior to the season, were again in lockstep with their division rivals, as they clobbered the San Diego Padres 11-4 to secure their first NL West title since 2012 (the Dodgers had won every division title in the interim).

So, the Dodgers have the second-best record in the majors this season, and their "prize" is an agonizing do-or-die clash with the Cardinals, who are just a couple games removed from a 17-game winning streak that vaulted them into the postseason.

The Cards have already announced Adam Wainwright (17-7, 3.05 ERA) will start this week's game. The Dodgers haven't made it official, but they are likely to call upon Max Scherzer (15-4, 2.46 ERA with L.A. and Washington), who put together another excellent season but stumbled at the finish line, giving up five earned runs in each of his last two starts. 

The Dodgers might be without one of their best hitters against the Cardinals, as first baseman Max Muncy (36 home runs, 94 RBI) left Sunday's game with a left elbow injury after colliding with the Brewers' Jace Peterson at first base, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. 

If Muncy is a no-go, the Dodgers have options to replace him. Cody Bellinger has had a nightmare season with an average well below the Mendoza Line, but the 2019 NL MVP can slot in at first base and try to do some damage. The Dodgers can also turn to Albert Pujols at first and have Bellinger ready to pinch hit, with AJ Pollock, Chris Taylor and Mookie Betts manning the outfield.

Thanks to their embarrassment of riches, the Dodgers will put together a brutal lineup to go up against Wainwright, Muncy or no Muncy. They managed to tag him for four runs on Sept. 8, but it may not be so simple this week. Wainwright, 40, tends to take his game to another level in October, as he sports a career 2.89 ERA in the postseason.

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Wednesday's game could start off as a classic pitcher's duel if Scherzer shakes off the mistakes from his last two outings. Tyler O'Neill, Nolen Arenado and the red-hot Paul Goldschmidt (.333 BA, nine home runs in September and October) will be difficult to navigate, but Scherzer has proved he can handle St. Louis, having pitched eight shutout innings against them on Sept. 6, though that was before the big winning streak.

If this game is tight through the first few innings, the Dodgers might have an edge late. They've been brilliant in clutch scenarios over the past couple weeks. Trea Turner hit a grand slam Sunday, a nice follow up to the one he hit Friday. Corey Seager has been red hot in September, and the team put a four-home run inning to dust off the Padres on Sept. 30.

The Cardinals are going to be tough, but the Dodgers are the better team top to bottom, and they will touch up the bullpen just enough to get the win.

Prediction: Dodgers beat Cardinals 4-2

Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado, or Tennessee. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.