Game three of this NL Central series sees the Pirates (57-69, 31-32 home) and Cardinals (55-72, 27-35 away) facing off at PNC Park. The starting pitcher for the Pirates will be Luis L. Ortiz, while the Cardinals are turning to Zack Thompson. Find out who I like to win in this Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals showdown.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +105

This game will be played at PNC Park at 12:35 ET on Wednesday, August 23rd.

WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES:

  • The Cardinals have gone just 4-6 in their last ten games.
  • In their ten most recent games as the favorite, the Cardinals have gone just 4-6 straight-up.
  • The Pirates are 3-1 in Luis L. Ortiz’s last four starts.

CAN THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS PULL OUT A WIN AS ROAD FAVORITES?

The Cardinals’ record of 55-72 has them ranked 5th in the NL Central. So far, they have a below .500 series record of 15-19-5. This season, they have gone 28-37 at home and 27-35 on the road.

The Cardinals have turned to Zack Thompson as their starter, and the young pitcher has responded with a 2-5 overall record. Through 18 appearances, his ERA is 3.90, while his K/9 figure stands at 11.7. Thompson has also put together a FIP of 3.27 and an OBP of .331 thus far in the 2023 season.

The St. Louis Cardinals were defeated by the New York Mets in Thompson’s last outing, 7-1. The left-hander pitched five innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits.

So far this season, the Cardinals’ has gone deep 174 times, placing them 5th in the league. Over St. Louis’ previous five games, they are 20th in runs scored, with their season average of 4.6 runs per game putting them 14th in the league. The Cardinals’ overall team batting average stands at .257 along with an OBP of .331.

The Cardinals’ offense has been bolstered by Paul Goldschmidt this season. With a .275 batting average and 65 runs batted in, the slugger has been a major contributor to the team’s success. Additionally, Goldschmidt has hit 20 home runs in 2023, providing an additional spark to the lineup.

WILL THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Heading into this divisional matchup vs. the Cardinals, the Pirates have an overall record of 57-69. This mark includes going 16-19 against divisional foes. Currently, they are 4th in the NL Central. Pittsburgh’s overall series record sits at 11-23-5.

Starter Luis L. Ortiz has had an up-and-down season for the Pirates, with an overall record of 2-3 in 11 appearances. His ERA sits at 4.86, while his K/9 is 5.7 and his FIP is 6.17. Opposing batters have a .373 OBP against him this year.

Luis L. Ortiz recently squared off against the Dodgers, surrendering six runs and nine hits over 3 1/3 frames. Despite not earning a decision, the Pirates emerged victorious with a 9-7 victory.

During their last five games, Pittsburgh is the 15th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .241 and are averaging 5 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Pirates are hitting .236 with an OBP of .314 while averaging 4.2 runs per contest. This figure puts them 22nd in the league.

Over the Pirates’ last ten contests, Bryan Reynolds has been a force to be reckoned with at the plate, leading the team with three home runs. His season-long total now stands at 18 long balls, while his overall batting average is .268.