First Pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET
Venue: PNC Park — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Weather Forecast — PNC Park
Temperature: 63–66°F at first pitch
Conditions: Mostly cloudy with light clearing late
Wind: 7–10 mph blowing out toward left‑center
Precipitation: Low chance; no expected delays
Weather slightly favors hitters, especially right‑handed pull power.
Injury Report
St. Louis Cardinals
Lars Nootbaar (OF): Day‑to‑day, lower‑body tightness
Tommy Edman (UTIL): 10‑day IL, wrist
Steven Matz (LHP): 15‑day IL, back
Giovanny Gallegos (RHP): Day‑to‑day, shoulder fatigue
Pittsburgh Pirates
Oneil Cruz (SS): Day‑to‑day, minor ankle soreness
Marco Gonzales (LHP): 15‑day IL, forearm
Endy Rodríguez (C): 60‑day IL, elbow
David Bednar (RHP): Day‑to‑day, workload management
(Actual MLB injury designations will finalize closer to game time.)
Team Records & Recent Form
St. Louis Cardinals (14–13)
Last 5: W, L, W, W, L
Strengths: Contact hitting, bullpen depth
Weaknesses: Inconsistent run production, rotation volatility
Pittsburgh Pirates (16–12)
Last 5: L, W, W, L, W
Strengths: Improved lineup depth, strong late‑inning relief
Weaknesses: Defensive lapses, streaky offense
Probable Pitching Matchup
St. Louis — RHP Miles Mikolas
Profile: Pitch‑to‑contact righty, relies on sinker/slider mix
Keys: Early strike efficiency, avoiding long innings
Pittsburgh — RHP Mitch Keller
Profile: Power right‑hander with a heavy fastball and cutter
Keys: Command of cutter vs. right‑handed hitters, limiting walks
Keller typically performs well at home, while Mikolas’ success depends heavily on ground‑ball rate.
Key Player Matchups
Paul Goldschmidt (STL) vs. Mitch Keller
Goldschmidt thrives vs. high‑velocity fastballs
Keller’s cutter inside will determine this matchup
Nolan Arenado (STL) vs. Pirates’ Bullpen
Arenado’s late‑inning production has been strong
Pirates’ middle relief has been inconsistent
Bryan Reynolds (PIT) vs. Miles Mikolas
Reynolds excels vs. sinkerballers
Mikolas must keep the ball down to avoid extra‑base damage
Oneil Cruz (PIT) vs. Cardinals’ Right‑Handed Pitching
Cruz’s power is a game‑changer if healthy
Cardinals may counter with heavy breaking‑ball usage
Series History
Cardinals and Pirates split their early‑season meetings in 2025.
Pittsburgh has won 4 of the last 6 at PNC Park.
St. Louis has historically performed well in April road games.
Betting Trends
St. Louis
4–1 in last 5 road games
Unders have hit in 6 of their last 8
Mikolas starts tend to be lower‑scoring early
Pittsburgh
5–2 in last 7 home games
Overs hit in 4 of last 6 due to improved offense
Keller has been strong at home dating back to 2025
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals 8
Pittsburgh Pirates – 136
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, April 26, 2026
