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The Pittsburgh Pirates will finish their three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday at Busch Stadium. We're here to share our MLB odds series with a Pirates-Cardinals prediction and pick while showing you how to watch.
Pirates-Cardinals Projected Starters
Mitch Keller vs. Lance Lynn
Mitch Keller (8-3) with a 3.16 ERA
Last Start: Keller shined in his last outing, tossing six shutout innings while allowing seven hits while striking out eight in a win over the Minnesota Twins. Amazingly, he has had six straight quality starts.
2024 Road Splits: Keller has done solid on the road, going 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA over seven road starts.
Lance Lynn (2-3) with a 3.58 ERA
Last Start: Lynn struggled in his last outing, going four innings while allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out six and walking two in a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies.
2024 Home Splits: He has been bailed out by a lot of run-support at home, going 1-0 with a 4.55 ERA over six starts at Busch Stadium.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Pirates-Cardinals Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates: -1.5 (+146)
Moneyline: -108
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-176)
Moneyline: -108
Over: 8.5 (-106)
Under: 8.5 (-114)
How to Watch Pirates vs. Cardinals
Time: 2:15 PM ET/11:15 AM PT
TV: Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Pirates Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Pirates are entrenched in the middle of a very crowded wildcard race. Moreover, they just are finding ways to stay alive even through the inconsistency. They are tied with the San Francisco Giants for the final wildcard spot and have dreams of making the playoffs this season. To do that, they need to find ways to generate runs. That has not been an easy thing this season.
The offense is struggling. So far, the Pirates are just 24th in batting average and on-base percentage. They are also 20th in runs, 23rd in home runs, and 26th in slugging percentage. Moreover, this offense has often failed to score many runs.
Connor Joe has been solid, with some inconsistency. So far, he is batting .259 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs, and 36 runs. Ke'Bryan Hayes seemed to be turning the corner after a slow start. However, he has gone just 1 for 12 recently. Oneil Cruz would like to procure more power. Yet, he is hitting .243 with nine home runs, 26 RBIs, and 28 runs. Bryan Reynolds is having a solid season. Currently, he is batting .263 with eight home runs, 35 RBIs, and 25 runs.
The pitching staff has been solid. Significantly, they are 12th in the majors. The Pirates have found ways to win based on the strength of their ability to get runners out.
The Pirates will cover the spread if their top players can make good contact. Then, their pitching staff needs to avoid making mistakes down the heart of the plate.
Why The Cardinals Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Cardinals are not the powerhouse they used to be. Regardless, they are alive in a very populated wildcard race. St. Louis currently sits a half game behind the San Francisco Giants for the final wildcard spot. Furthermore, they are doing just enough to compete and stay around.
The lineup is putting up inconsistent numbers. Ultimately, they are 18th in batting average. The Cards are also 19th in on-base percentage, 27th in runs, 22nd in home runs, and 23rd in slugging percentage.
Paul Goldschmidt is in a major decline that must be studied someday. Unfortunately, he is batting only .225 with seven home runs, 25 RBIs, and 31 runs. He looks nothing like the elite hitter he has been throughout his entire career. Sadly, this looks very similar to the decline of Albert Pujols, and his bat is not getting the job done. Nolan Gorman struggled to start the season. Yet, he has bounced back and is now hitting .223 with 15 home runs, 33 RBIs, and 30 runs.
Nolan Arenado is also on the decline. So far, he is batting .256 with six home runs, 30 RBIs, and 23 runs. But the best Cardinal in this lineup is young Masyn Wynn. Currently, he is hitting .305 with three home runs, 23 RBIs, and 22 runs and is a threat to get on base at any time.
The pitching staff continues to struggle. So far, they are just 18th in team ERA. Their starters and relievers are not consistently getting the job done.
The Cardinals will cover the spread if their top hitters can produce like they did in years past. Then, they need Lynn to rediscover his ability to hit the strike zone.
Final Pirates-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
The Pirates have a run-line record of 37-29. Additionally, the Pirates have done well on the road, producing a run-line record of 20-13. The Cards have been average with their run-line record, going 32-33. Likewise, they have a run-line record of 16-14 at Busch Stadium, covering a little more than half the time. Both teams are struggling to hit the baseball. But Keller gives the Pirates a major advantage. Take Pittsburgh to cover the spread.
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Final Pirates-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates: -1.5 (+146)
