- Matchup: St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
- Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- Broadcast: SportsNet Pittsburgh
- Betting Odds: St. Louis (+106) Pittsburgh (-128)
This page may include affiliate links at no extra cost to you, thanks for your support.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (79-77) are set to face off against the St. Louis Cardinals (76-80) at PNC Park on Wednesday. The betting line for this matchup features St. Louis at +106 and Pittsburgh at -128, with a total set at 8.5 runs. The starting pitchers for this event will be Matthew Liberatore and Khristian Curtis.
This season, the Cardinals have achieved 225 doubles and launched 161 home runs as a team. With a slugging percentage of .382, they have struck out 1,234 times while earning 496 walks. Averaging 4.5 runs per game, the Cardinals currently rank 12th in the league, with a total of 681 RBIs and 1,277 hits, contributing to a .242 team batting average. Their on-base percentage stands at .315 with a cumulative 704 runs scored.
The Cardinals are holding a team ERA of 4.29 this season (22nd in MLB), striking out 1,235 batters along the way. Opposing hitters have connected for 155 home runs against Cardinals pitchers, who have allowed 727 runs this season (21st in the league). With 544 walks issued, their FIP is 4.10. Collectively, they’ve allowed 1,345 hits (averaging 8.7 hits per 9 innings) and have given up 665 earned runs. Their K/BB ratio is 2.27, with a WHIP of 1.36.
Cardinal pitchers have faced situations with runners on base 163 times and have appeared in 194 high-stress situations. The bullpen has recorded 96 holds this season (ranked 8th in the league) and boasts a save percentage of 60.5%, having successfully converted 46 out of 76 save opportunities while inheriting 237 runners, with 40.5% crossing the plate. This year, the Cardinals have used 532 relief pitchers.
So far, the St. Louis Cardinals have posted 4,181 putouts, 1,462 assists, and 73 errors, holding a fielding percentage of .987, which ranks 9th in MLB. They have successfully turned 149 double plays, converting 69.0% of balls in play into outs over 12,543 innings, positioning themselves at 24th in the league.
Liberatore, with a career record of 21-38, has a FIP of 4.79 facing 2,094 batters. He has surrendered 514 hits (9.6 hits per 9 innings) and issued 166 walks, with an ERA of 4.86 (allowing 261 earned runs) and a WHIP of 1.408. In his career, Liberatore has pitched for 483 innings, achieving 420 strikeouts.
The Pirates have a team slugging percentage of .406, averaging 4.79 runs per game (5th in baseball). Having recorded 238 doubles, they have drawn 551 walks and scored a total of 748 runs. This season, Pittsburgh has belted 181 home runs and notched 715 RBIs, while being struck out 1,452 times (4th in MLB) and accumulating 1,363 hits. The team holds a .332 on-base percentage along with a batting average of .254 for the year.
Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has allowed 719 runs with an ERA of 4.19 (having given up 648 earned runs). They’ve conceded 150 home runs and yield 4.65 runs per 9 innings (20th in the league). Currently, they have a team WHIP of 1.304 and a FIP of 3.84. The strikeout to walk ratio is 9.20 (1,429 strikeouts against 563 walks), ranking 12th overall in baseball for total hits allowed (1,252).
The Pirates have been in 139 save situations, achieving 74 holds and 25 blown saves. In 63 save opportunities, they converted 38 saves, while their relief pitchers have a 32.8% inherited score percentage from their 192 inherited runners. With 152 appearances in high-leverage situations, they rank 20th in the league with a save percentage of 60.3%, deploying 510 relief pitchers this season.
On defense, the Pirates have turned 126 double plays, holding a .983 fielding rate (26th in MLB). They have recorded 1,238 assists, committed 95 errors, and achieved 4,177 putouts for the year. Their defensive efficiency stands at 68.9% through 12,531 innings in the field, placing them 26th in professional baseball.
Curtis (2-0 career record) carries a 4.74 earned run average, allowing 5.3 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 0.91 across 71 batters faced. Curtis has given up 9 earned runs, maintaining a WHIP of 1.228 and a FIP of 4.7. He has permitted 10 hits while earning 10 strikeouts over 17 innings pitched.
Who will claim victory in tonight’s MLB matchup against the spread or moneyline?
Prediction: Back Pittsburgh (-128) and the under at 8.5 runs
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission always at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping us keep this site running.
