The set-up: The Mets won 90 games in 2015 and then made it to the World Series, before making the playoffs as a wild card team in 2016 with 87 wins. Therefore, last year's 70-win season was to say the least, a huge disappointment. New York has a new manager in Mickey Callaway and the team believes that it made wise off-season investments. The team's 70-92 mark in 2017 loosened the purse strings as outfielder Jay Bruce (three years, $39 million), third baseman Todd Frazier (two years, $17 million), left-hander Jason Vargas (two years, $16 million) and right-hander Anthony Swarzak (two years, $14 million) signed contracts. Bruce paid immediate dividends with a fast start to the season before the bottom fell out during a 1-for-22 stretch at the plate. Undaunted, Bruce has slowly regained his form by cashing in at the plate. he capped a three-hit performance with a HR in the 10th inning of a 6-5 triumph on Tuesday. The St. Louis Cardinals remained in the wild-card chase until game No. 159 last season. They've made winning seem like a birthright since the last round of expansion, as the Cards have made the playoffs in 12 of the last 20 years and have missed the postseason in back-to-back years just twice, 2007-08 and 2016-17. The team has no interest in seeing 2018 become a 'hat trick' and the team is off to a solid 13-9 start, as last night's loss was just its second in 10 games. The Mets are 15-6, having won eight of 10 road games in 2018, as the teams square off in the rubber match of this three-game series tonight.

The pitching matchup: Lefty Steven Matz (1-1, 4.42 ERA) starts for New York, while Michael Wacha (3-1, 4.22 ERA) goes for St. Louis. Matz lost 5-1 to the Cards back on April 1, surrendering two HRs and three runs total in four innings. He also exited after just four innings in his last outing against Washington, although he had retired 10 in a row after serving up a three-run HR first. Matz has just two career starts vs. St. Louis and is 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA (ouch!). Wacha's 2018 debut 9March 31) was against the Mets and he allowed four runs (two HRs) over 4 2/3 innings of a 6-2 setback. However, he answered that outing with three straight wins, highlighted by a strong effort against Cincinnati on Friday in which he allowed season lows in runs (one) and walks (one) while going 6 2/3 innings in the 4-2 victory. Wacha owns a 4-2 mark with a 2.70 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in six career meetings with the Mets.

The pick:The Mets have played better than the Cards so far but the Cards are slightly hotter at the moment (8-2 last 10) plus Matz has been awful in two career tries against St. Louis while Wacha has been very good against New York. Make St. Louis a 10* play.