Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Forecast, 8/26/2025 MLB Selections, Top Wagers & Odds

Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Scheduled Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Venue: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO

Broadcast: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest

Betting Odds: Pittsburgh (+172) St. Louis (-210)

In an exciting matchup at Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals (64-67) are set to battle against the Pittsburgh Pirates (57-74) on Tuesday evening. The current moneyline shows Pittsburgh at +172, while St. Louis is favored at -210. The total for the game is established at 8 runs, with Mitch Keller and Andre Pallante slated to pitch.

The Pittsburgh Pirates currently hold a slugging percentage of .351 and have struck out 1,130 times, with 419 walks registered. This season, they have harvested 451 RBIs alongside 1,015 hits, resulting in a team batting average of .234. The Pirates have also recorded 191 doubles and launched 94 home runs, accumulating a total of 467 runs and posting an on-base percentage (OBP) of .305. Averaging only 3.6 runs per game, they rank 30th in the league.

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Pittsburgh boasts a collective ERA of 3.93 this season (ranking 14th in the MLB), having struck out a total of 1,023 batters. The pitching staff has surrendered 126 home runs and 537 runs (7th in MLB). The Pirates’ hurlers have issued 378 walks, contributing to a FIP of 3.90 for the year. They have allowed 1,032 hits, averaging 8.0 hits per nine innings. Their earned run total stands at 505, yielding a K/BB ratio of 2.71 and a WHIP of 1.22.

In save opportunities, the Pirates’ bullpen has a 57.1% success rate from 108 attempts. Relief pitchers have inherited 185 base runners, with 36.8% crossing home plate. Pirates relievers have taken the mound with runners on base 118 times and have appeared in high-leverage situations 127 times this season. So far, 405 Pirates relievers have pitched, allowing for 57 holds (25th in the league) and securing 28 saves from 49 chances.

Defensively, the Pirates have transformed 71.0% of balls put in play into outs across 10,404 innings, ranking them 5th in MLB. With 3,468 putouts, 1,083 assists, and 61 errors, their fielding percentage stands at .987, placing them 13th in the league, complemented by 93 double plays.

Mitch Keller has thrown for 846 innings in his career, accumulating 803 strikeouts. With a career ERA of 4.55 (allowing 428 earned runs) and a WHIP of 1.396, he has permitted 891 hits (9.5 hits per nine innings) and issued 290 walks. Keller has faced 3,690 batters and holds a career record of 41-62 along with a FIP of 4.48.

The St. Louis Cardinals have hit 124 home runs this season, driving in 545 runs. With 218 doubles, they have drawn 397 walks and tallied 573 runs. This season, the Cardinals have a team OBP of .317 and a batting average of .249. They slug .385 and score an average of 4.37 runs per game (16th in MLB), having struck out 1,026 times (26th in baseball) and notching 1,098 hits.

The Cardinals’ WHIP stands at 1.306, with a team FIP of 3.97 for the season. With a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 7.50 (960 strikeouts to 359 walks), they currently rank 26th in total hits allowed (1,150). St. Louis pitchers have yielded 132 home runs and an average of 4.71 runs per nine innings (23rd in MLB). Their total runs allowed this season is 605, compiling a team ERA of 4.31 (553 earned runs).

For save situations, the Cardinals’ relievers have stepped up in 49 chances, successfully converting 32 saves. With a save percentage of 65.3%, they rank 8th in the MLB, having utilized 388 relief pitchers this season. Their PEN has pitched in high-leverage situations 121 times and faced base runners 125 times. The Cardinals have inherited 33.9% of the 174 inherited runners score, while securing 72 holds among 124 save situations, alongside 17 blown saves.

Defensively, the Cardinals have executed 99 double plays with a fielding percentage of .987 (12th in MLB). They have collected 1,256 assists, committed 63 errors, and achieved 3,467 putouts within 10,401 innings played, resulting in a defensive efficiency of 69.1% (24th in MLB).

In his career, Andre Pallante has allowed 441 hits while achieving 302 strikeouts over 431 innings pitched. He has given up 202 earned runs and holds a WHIP of 1.406 with a FIP of 4.2. Pallante has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.83 and has faced 1,850 batters in the majors, compiling a 24-25 career record along with a 4.22 ERA, allowing 9.2 hits per nine innings.

Who will secure the victory in tonight’s MLB match against the spread or the moneyline?

Guy Bruhn’s Recommendation: Back Pittsburgh (+172)

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