- Matchup: St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Event Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026
- Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- Broadcast: SportsNet Pittsburgh
- Betting Odds: St. Louis (+132) Pittsburgh (-160)
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The St. Louis Cardinals (16-13) are geared up to face the Pittsburgh Pirates (16-14) at PNC Park on Thursday. The odds for this matchup show St. Louis at +132 and Pittsburgh at -160, with an overall total set at 8 runs. The starting pitchers projected for this game are Hunter Dobbins and Paul Skenes.
As a team, the St. Louis Cardinals are scoring an average of 4.8 runs per game, which ranks them 8th in Major League Baseball. They have accumulated a total of 140 runs and hold a team on-base percentage (OBP) of .324. The Cardinals have produced 40 doubles and launched 38 home runs this season. They recorded 137 RBIs and 230 hits this year, boasting a batting average of .237. Their slugging percentage stands at .398, with 242 strikeouts paired with 108 walks taken.
The Cardinals possess an ERA of 4.81 throughout the current season, ranking 26th in the league, having struck out 200 batters. St. Louis pitchers have allowed 35 home runs and surrendered a total of 149 runs, placing them 24th in the league. Their pitching staff has issued 108 walks with a collective Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) of 4.74 this season. The Cardinals have given up 265 hits (averaging 9.1 hits per 9 innings) and 140 earned runs. With a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.85, their WHIP this year stands at 1.42.
The Cardinals’ bullpen has recorded a save rate of 62.5%, with 39 save opportunities leading to 10 successful saves and 6 blown saves. Relief pitchers have inherited 49 runners this season, with a 36.7% score crossing home plate. In high-pressure situations, the Cardinals’ relief pitchers have been on the mound during 39 appearances. The bullpen has seen a total of 107 relief pitchers this year, securing 22 holds (7th in MLB).
Defensively, the Cardinals are converting 69.5% of balls put in play into outs, pinning them at 18th in the league. The St. Louis Cardinals have achieved 786 putouts, alongside 295 assists and 14 errors so far in the season, with a fielding percentage of .987 ranking them 10th in MLB, while they have turned 25 double plays.
Dobbins has pitched for 61 innings, collecting 45 strikeouts during his career. His ERA is 4.13, giving up 28 earned runs with a WHIP of 1.279. He has allowed 61 hits (9.0 hits per 9 innings) and issued 17 walks. Dobbins holds a career win-loss record of 4-1 and a FIP of 4.07 while facing 256 batters in the majors.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have recorded an OBP of .326, with a batting average of .245 this season. They have struck out 289 times (ranking 2nd in the league) and have 255 hits to their name. The Pirates have managed 32 home runs this season with a total of 139 RBIs. Their slugging percentage is .378, and they are scoring 4.80 runs per game, placing them 10th in the league. They have also hit 38 doubles, are drawing 111 walks, and have scored 144 runs so far.
The Pirates’ pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.248 with a team FIP of 3.63 for the season. They have achieved a remarkable strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.10 (278 strikeouts to 117 walks). They rank 8th in MLB for the most hits allowed, with a total of 225 hits given up. With 23 home runs allowed, they are giving up an average of 4.14 runs per 9 innings (7th in baseball). This season, the Pirates have conceded a total of 126 runs, with a combined team ERA of 3.61 (110 earned runs allowed).
In 37 save situations, the Pirates have successfully recorded 24 holds but have also suffered 8 blown saves. Pittsburgh’s relief pitchers have appeared in 13 save opportunities, securing 5 saves overall. The inherited score percentage for Pirates’ relievers is at 29.0%, with 31 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have appeared in high leverage situations 40 times and have dealt with runners on base 28 times. With a save percentage of 38.5%, they rank 27th in the league and have utilized 106 relief pitchers this season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have achieved 21 double plays and currently hold a fielding percentage of .983 (24th in MLB). With 241 assists, 18 errors, and a total of 823 putouts this year, they have an efficiency rate of 70.7% over 2,469 innings played (10th in MLB).
Throughout his professional career, Skenes has permitted 244 hits and amassed 416 strikeouts across 349 innings pitched. Skenes has a career record of 25-14, boasting a 2.01 ERA while allowing 6.3 hits per 9 innings. He has given up 78 earned runs and has a WHIP of 0.931 with a FIP of 2.0. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is a solid 5.14, having faced 1,357 batters in his career.
Which team will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB matchup against the spread or moneyline?
Prediction: Bet on St. Louis (+132)
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