The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are set to face off in an NL Central showdown on Monday, May 5, at 7:45 PM ET at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Cardinals enter as slight favorites, looking to capitalize on home-field advantage, while the Pirates aim to snap their recent struggles.
Team Overview & Season Performance
St. Louis Cardinals (16-19)
- Regular Season Record: 16 wins, 19 losses
- Recent Performance: Lost three of their last five games, including a 4-3 defeat to the Dodgers.
- Key Players:
- Masyn Winn (.275 AVG, 4 HR, 18 RBI)
- Nolan Arenado (.254 AVG, 3 HR, 15 RBI)
- Brendan Donovan (.339 AVG, 19 RBI)
- Miles Mikolas (1-2, 4.66 ERA, 17 K in 29.2 IP)
Pittsburgh Pirates (12-23)
- Regular Season Record: 12 wins, 23 losses
- Recent Performance: Lost four of their last five games, including a 5-2 loss to the Cubs.
- Key Players:
- Oneil Cruz (.265 AVG, 5 HR, 16 RBI)
- Andrew McCutchen (.240 AVG, 3 HR, 12 RBI)
- Ke’Bryan Hayes (.278 AVG, 2 HR, 14 RBI)
- Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3, 5.10 ERA, 22 K in 30.1 IP)
Head-to-Head Matchup
- Season Series: First meeting of the season.
- Pitching Matchup:
- Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (1-2, 4.66 ERA) – Has a 2.90 career ERA vs. Pittsburgh.
- Pirates: Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3, 5.10 ERA) – Earned a win over St. Louis on April 7 with five innings of one-run ball.
- Betting Odds: Cardinals favored at -149, Pirates at +125, Over/Under set at 8.5 runs.
Key Storylines
- Cardinals’ Offensive Struggles – St. Louis ranks 18th in MLB with 32 home runs, needing more power production.
- Pirates’ Power Woes – Pittsburgh ranks 28th in MLB with just 25 home runs, struggling to generate runs.
- Mikolas vs. Pirates – Mikolas has historically pitched well against Pittsburgh, boasting a 2.90 ERA in 23 career games.
- Mlodzinski’s Recent Success – The Pirates’ starter had a strong outing vs. St. Louis last month, which could give Pittsburgh confidence.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates 8.5
St. Louis Cardinals – 142
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, May 4, 2025
