Venue: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri.
First pitch: 8:15 p.m. ET.
TV/Streaming: Cardinals TV / SportsNet PT (regional) and MLB.TV options.
Weather forecast:
Mostly sunny to partly cloudy with highs in the lower-to-mid 80s°F during the day and evening temperatures in the 70s. Light winds and low precipitation chances expected around first pitch, providing favorable outdoor conditions for baseball.
Starting Pitchers
Jared Jones (RHP, Pirates) — 2-5, 4.76 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 68.0 IP, 77 K, 26 BB, 11 HR in 15 starts. The young right-hander returned from earlier elbow-related issues and has shown strikeout ability (over 10 K/9) mixed with inconsistency, including shorter outings and occasional high pitch counts. Recent starts include a competitive effort against the Dodgers (4 IP, 2 ER) and a solid outing vs. Boston. He generates ground balls but has allowed home runs at a noticeable rate.
Quinn Mathews (LHP, Cardinals) — 0-2, 6.43 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 14.0 IP, 13 K, 7 BB, 1 HR in 3 starts. The prospect left-hander was recently recalled and has struggled in limited MLB action, allowing hits and free passes at elevated rates. He has shown strikeout upside in Triple-A and in shorter MLB samples but faces command challenges in the majors so far.
Current Rosters & Key Players
Pirates: Offense features Nick Gonzales (high AVG/hits), Brandon Lowe (power/RBI), Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz (when healthy), and supporting pieces. Rotation includes Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Jones, and others; the bullpen has mixed results. The club sits fourth in the NL Central.
Cardinals: Key bats include Alec Burleson (AVG/HR/RBI), Jordan Walker, and depth options. Rotation has been affected by injuries, with Mathews, Kyle Leahy, Matthew Liberatore, and others filling in. Bullpen has provided some stability. St. Louis is third in the NL Central, a few games ahead of Pittsburgh.
Injury Reports
Pirates: Endy Rodríguez (C/1B, 10-day IL, hip — recent surgery, out for season); Ryan O’Hearn (OF/1B, 10-day IL, quad strain); Konnor Griffin (SS, 60-day IL, finger); Mitch Keller (SP, 60-day IL, arm/shoulder). Catching and infield depth are impacted.
Cardinals: Masyn Winn (SS, 10-day IL, thumb fracture); Everson Pereira (OF, 10-day IL, hand); Andre Pallante (SP, 15-day IL, elbow); Hunter Dobbins (SP, 15-day IL, forearm); Peter Strzelecki (RP, 15-day IL, forearm); Blaze Jordan (3B, day-to-day/ankle after recent collision). Rotation depth is stretched, contributing to Mathews’ opportunity.
Recent Team Forms
Pirates (last 10: mixed, roughly 4-6 to 5-5 range): Recent series included a split or competitive results against the Padres (wins and a shutout loss) after struggles vs. the Dodgers. They are fighting to stay relevant in a competitive NL Central but remain under .500.
Cardinals (last 10: roughly 3-7 to 4-6): Ended a rough stretch with a win over the Orioles after losses in the series and prior road struggles vs. the Phillies. Home form has been inconsistent; they hold a slight edge in the standings over Pittsburgh.
Series History
The clubs have met several times in 2026, with the Cardinals taking early series wins (including a sweep or strong results in April) and the Pirates responding with victories later (e.g., May series wins in St. Louis). Overall season series is competitive/close. This opens a three-game set at Busch Stadium (Jones/Mathews Friday; likely Mlodzinski/Leahy Saturday; Ashcraft/Liberatore Sunday). Division games often feature tight margins and variable scoring.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Cardinals hitters (Burleson contact/power, Walker, others) vs. Jones: Jones’ strikeout rate can neutralize portions of the lineup, but elevated walk and HR tendencies may allow St. Louis to manufacture runs, especially against a lefty-heavy or contact-oriented attack.
Pirates hitters (Gonzales AVG, Lowe power, Reynolds) vs. Mathews: The left-handed Mathews faces a balanced Pittsburgh order; his early MLB struggles with hits and command could be exploited by the Pirates’ higher run-scoring average. Right-handed bats may have an edge.
Overall, Pittsburgh’s slightly more consistent offense and Jones’ higher strikeout potential give the visitors a modest edge in a potential lower-scoring affair.
Betting Trends
Trends show competitive head-to-head results with Overs in several prior meetings; Pirates have had success on the road in certain spots, while Cardinals home underdogs can be live.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates – 115
St. Louis Cardinals 7
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, August 27, 2026
