- Matchup: St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Schedule: Thursday, September 24, 2026
- Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- Broadcast: SportsNet Pittsburgh
- Betting Odds: St. Louis (+110) Pittsburgh (-130)
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The St. Louis Cardinals (76-81) are set to clash with the Pittsburgh Pirates (80-77) at PNC Park on Thursday. Current betting odds list St. Louis at +110 and Pittsburgh at -130, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. Expected starters for this matchup are Cooper Hjerpe and Paul Skenes.
The Cardinals boast a slugging percentage of .380 and have racked up a total of 1,248 strikeouts while drawing 498 walks. With 681 RBIs and 1,278 hits this season, their batting average stands at .241. The team has achieved 226 doubles and hit 161 home runs, scoring a cumulative 704 runs with a team on-base percentage of .314. They average 4.5 runs per game, positioning them 13th in Major League Baseball.
On the pitching side, the Cardinals currently hold a team ERA of 4.28 (21st in MLB) and have fanned 1,239 batters. This season, they have allowed 155 home runs and a total of 729 runs (22nd overall). The pitching staff has issued 547 walks, while their FIP stands at 4.10. St. Louis pitchers have given up 1,350 hits, averaging 8.7 hits over 9 innings, and have a K/BB ratio of 2.27, alongside a WHIP of 1.35.
The Cardinals have used 534 relief pitchers throughout the season, with a 40.6% inherited runner scoring rate on 239 occasions. The bullpen has accumulated 96 holds (8th in MLB). This season, they have faced 164 situations with runners on and have had 195 high-leverage appearances, achieving 46 saves but blowing 30 of 76 save opportunities. Their save percentage currently sits at 60.5% for 176 total save situations.
Defensively, St. Louis has converted 69.0% of balls in play into outs over 12,615 innings, ranking 24th in the league. They’ve recorded 4,205 putouts, 1,473 assists, and committed 74 errors this season, giving them a solid fielding percentage of .987, good for 9th place in MLB, while also managing 149 double plays.
Hjerpe has pitched 9 innings in his career, accumulating 12 strikeouts. Holding a win-loss record of 1-0, his FIP stands at 5.91, having faced 39 batters. His earned run average is 6.00 (6 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.111, surrendering 4 hits for an average of 4.0 hits per 9 innings and issuing 6 walks.
On the other side, the Pirates have a slugging percentage of .405 and score an average of 4.78 runs per game (5th in MLB). They have recorded 240 doubles, 554 walks, and 750 runs scored. Pittsburgh has blasted 181 home runs this year and registered 716 RBIs, with 1,456 strikeouts (4th in MLB) and 1,368 total hits. The team’s OBP is .331 along with a batting average of .254 this season.
The pitching unit for the Pirates has conceded 719 runs, maintaining an ERA of 4.16 (648 earned runs). They allowed 150 home runs and yield an average of 4.62 runs per 9 innings (19th in MLB). The team’s WHIP is 1.298, with a FIP of 3.82. The strikeout-to-walk ratio stands at 9.30, with 1,443 strikeouts and 565 walks, ranking 12th in the league for total hits allowed (1,253).
Pittsburgh’s relievers have inherited runners 192 times this season, with a scoring rate of 32.8%. They’ve been brought in 154 times in high-leverage situations and 130 times with runners on base. The Pirates have achieved 75 holds and 25 blown saves in 141 save situations, ranking 18th in MLB with a 60.9% save rate and deploying 512 relievers in 2023.
Defensively, the Pirates have a 69.0% efficiency over their 12,612 innings (25th in MLB). They have executed 126 double plays and maintain a fielding percentage of .983 (25th overall). This season, they’ve tallied 1,241 assists, committed 95 errors, and achieved 4,204 putouts.
Skenes, throughout his career, has allowed 373 hits and recorded 578 strikeouts over 488 innings. With a 31-24 career record, he boasts a 2.64 earned run average, giving up 6.9 hits per 9 innings. His total of 143 earned runs is paired with a WHIP of 1.012 and a FIP of 2.6. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is a solid 4.78 as he has faced 1,936 batters during his career.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB game, either against the spread or on the moneyline?
Recommended Bet: Take St. Louis (+110)
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