| MATCHUP | St. Louis Cardinals | Pittsburgh Pirates |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 76-81 | 80-77 |
| Spread | +1.5 -208 | -1.5 170 |
| Moneyline | +100 | -121 |
| Total | Over 7.5 (-112) | Under 7.5 (-107) |
| Where | PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | |
| When | Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | |
| Time | 06:40 PM EDT | |
| TV | MLB.TV | |
St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview
The St. Louis Cardinals are 76-81 on the year and play the Brewers next. The St. Louis Cardinals are batting .241 on the season, with a .314 OBP and a .380 slugging percentage. The St. Louis Cardinals’ pitching staff has a 4.28 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Alec Burleson leads the St. Louis Cardinals with 165 hits and 111 RBI, while Jordan Walker and Ivan Herrera have combined for 305 hits and 168 RBI.
Matthew Liberatore gets the ball for the St. Louis Cardinals, and he is 5-14 with a 5.36 ERA and 148 strikeouts this season. Liberatore is 2-4 with a 5.60 ERA and 48 strikeouts in his career against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 80-77 this year and play the Tigers next. The Pittsburgh Pirates are batting .254 on the season, with a .331 OBP and a .405 slugging percentage. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitching staff has a 4.16 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Nick Gonzales leads the Pittsburgh Pirates with 162 hits and 60 RBI, while Bryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe have combined for 301 hits and 164 RBI.
Lake Bachar gets the ball for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and he is 1-4 with a 3.56 ERA and 87 strikeouts this season. Bachar is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA and 7 strikeouts in his career against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Why the Pittsburgh Pirates will win
- The Pirates have won seven of their last eight home games against teams that held a losing record.
- The Cardinals have lost each of their last four road games.
- The Cardinals have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last nine games against NL opponents.
- The Pirates have covered the run line in each of their last four games against NL opponents after playing the previous day.
Why the St. Louis Cardinals will win
- The underdogs have won five of the last six games between the Cardinals and Pirates at PNC Park.
- The Pirates have lost each of their last eight Wednesday games against NL opponents.
- The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in each of their last 10 Wednesday night games as home favorites against NL Central opponents.
- The Cardinals have covered the run line in nine of their last 10 games as underdogs after playing the previous day.
- The Pirates have trailed after 3 innings in three of their last four night games against NL opponents.
Total Runs Facts
- Nine of the Cardinals’ last 11 games as road underdogs have gone OVER the total runs line.
- Four of the Pirates’ last five games after playing the previous day have gone OVER the total runs line.
- There has been no run scored during the first inning in each of the Pirates’ last eight night games against NL Central opponents.
- There has been no run scored during the first inning in each of Matthew Liberatore’s last four road appearances as a starter.
Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts
- Konnor Griffin has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 appearances with the Pirates as home favorites against NL Central opponents.
- Brandon Lowe has hit a home run in four of the Pirates’ last seven games.
St. Louis Cardinals Player Prop Facts
- Nathan Church has recorded at least one hit in each of the Cardinals’ last 10 road games against NL opponents.
- Matthew Liberatore has recorded six or more strikeouts in each of his last four appearances with the Cardinals as underdogs.
- Jordan Walker has hit a home run in two of the Cardinals’ last three games as road underdogs against NL Central opponents.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Pirates rank 4th in the league for batting average this season (.254).
- The Pirates rank 4th in the league for on-base percentage this season (.332).
- The Cardinals rank 26th in the league for opponent batting average this season (.254).
- The Cardinals rank 25th in the league for doubles this season (225).
St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
I have to side with the Pirates here. Liberatore is having a rough season with a 5.36 ERA and 1.49 WHIP through 149.1 innings. Liberatore has allowed 31 hits and 19 earned runs in his last 24.1 innings. Bachar is having a solid season through 83.1 innings with a 3.56 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, and he’s won 5 of his last 6 starts. I’m rolling with the Pirates at home given the pitcher is in better form, even if Bachar isn’t going to go long. Liberatore is a mess right now.