MLB Game Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates (58-75) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (65-68)

Game Details

First pitch is set for 7:45 p.m. ET, with national coverage on FS1 and local broadcasts on ATTSN-PT and Bally Sports Pittsburgh.

Pitching Matchup

St. Louis turns to veteran Sonny Gray, who carries a 4.33 ERA (10th in the NL) and has punched out 161 batters this year, while Pittsburgh counters with Carmen Mlodzinski, who has battled a 3.89 ERA but offers swing-and-miss stuff in his 70 strikeouts.

Team Overviews

• St. Louis owns a 36-31 home mark, averaging 4.39 runs per game with a .248 batting average, .317 on-base percentage and .384 slugging figure. Their pitching staff ranks 10th in the National League with a collective 4.33 ERA.
• Pittsburgh is just 19-45 on the road and scores 3.6 runs per contest—the fewest in MLB—while hitting .234 with a .306 OBP and .352 slugging. The Pirates’ rotation sports a 3.96 ERA, ranking 13th in baseball, but their lineup has struggled to sustain rallies.

Key Storylines

• The Pirates hold a slim 6-5 edge in this year’s head-to-head, including an 8–3 win Tuesday night in St. Louis. Pittsburgh has won four of its last five outings, while the Cardinals are 2-3 over that same span.
• St. Louis looks to regain momentum in the crowded NL Central, where the Cardinals sit 18 games back of division leader Milwaukee. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is seeking its first road series win since mid-July.
• Weather in St. Louis will be dry and warm, with light southwest winds that could keep balls in the yard at the cavernous Busch Stadium.

Players to Watch

• Alec Burleson (STL): Leads the Cardinals at .291/.355/.513 with 21 doubles, 16 homers and 60 RBI.
• Lars Nootbaar (STL): 11-for-41 with three RBI over his last ten games, capable of delivering big hits in key spots.
• Bryan Reynolds (PIT): The Pirates’ catalyst, tallying 34 doubles and 14 home runs while batting .287 on the season.
• Jared Triolo (PIT): 14-for-33 with three doubles, a triple and two long balls in his last ten contests, bringing pop from the bottom third.

Betting Outlook

• ATS: St. Louis is 67-65-0 against the spread; Pittsburgh is 37-54 as underdogs of +156 or longer.
• Totals: The over has hit in 68 of the Cardinals’ 132 games and in 63 of the Pirates’ 131 games this season.

Sonny Gray’s veteran savvy and St. Louis’s balanced offense should prove decisive. Expect the Cardinals to jump out early and Gray to work deep into the game, with Burleson and Nootbaar supplying run support.