PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.
The Cardinals are fourth in the NL Central; the Pirates sit third and are playing strong late-season baseball after being eliminated from postseason contention. This is Game 2 of a three-game series (Pirates won the opener 2-0 on a near-no-hitter from Jared Jones). The season series is close, with St. Louis holding a slight edge entering the series (reports note Cardinals 6-5 overall before the series or roughly even in recent head-to-head).
Probable Pitchers
Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore (5-14, 5.36 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 148 K in 149.1 IP). The lefty has struggled overall this season after a stronger 2025 but delivered a solid six-inning, one-run outing in his previous start. He has faced the Pirates multiple times this year with mixed results (notably allowing runs in prior matchups while racking up strikeouts).
Pirates: RHP Lake Bachar (1-4, 3.56 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 87 K in ~83 IP). Acquired midseason from Miami, Bachar is expected to open in a bullpen-game scenario (typical 1–2 inning opener role recently). He has posted a sub-3.00 ERA in limited work since the trade and will hand off to the rest of the Pittsburgh relief corps.
Venue and Weather
PNC Park (Pittsburgh, PA). Forecast around first pitch: mid-to-upper 60s°F (highs near 65–68°F earlier, cooling into the evening), partly cloudy to mostly cloudy, east winds 10–15 mph (gusts up to 20–25 mph), very low precipitation chance (near 0–5%). Cool, dry, and breezy conditions favor pitchers and could suppress offense slightly.
Injury Reports
Cardinals: Joshua Báez (LF, 10-day IL, oblique/side), Blaze Jordan (3B/INF, 10-day IL, ankle), Everson Pereira (RF/OF, 10-day IL, hand), Hunter Dobbins (SP, 15-day IL, forearm), Max Rajcic (RP/SP, 60-day IL, elbow).
Pirates: Esmerlyn Valdez (RF, 10-day IL, hamstring), Braxton Ashcraft (SP, 15-day IL, arm), Isaac Mattson (RP, 15-day IL, hip), Mitch Keller (SP, 60-day IL, arm), Endy Rodriguez (C, 60-day IL, hip). Additional notes include other bullpen arms limited.
Current Rosters / Key Players
Cardinals key contributors: 1B/OF Alec Burleson (.280 AVG, 23 HR, 111 RBI, strong all-around production), RF Jordan Walker (power and speed), DH/C Iván Herrera (on-base skills and power), 2B/INF Jordan Wetherholt, SS Masyn Winn, OF/INF Leonardo Bernal (hot recently), and supporting pieces such as Nolan Church or others filling in amid injuries. Pitching depth includes recent solid outings from arms like Andre Pallante and others.
Pirates key contributors: 2B/INF Nick Gonzales (.302 AVG leader), 2B Brandon Lowe (power, ~33 HR and 93 RBI in some tallies), OF Oneil Cruz (power/speed), SS/rookie Konnor Griffin (hot recently, multi-hit games), C/1B Rafael Flores Jr. (reached base in 15 straight games), DH Ryan O’Hearn, OF Bryan Reynolds, 3B Jared Triolo, and OF Joey Mangum. The club has set a franchise single-season home-run record (181). Bullpen has been effective in recent stretch.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Liberatore’s left-handed sinker/slider mix will be tested by Pittsburgh’s lefty-heavy or contact-oriented bats (Cruz, Reynolds, Lowe, Gonzales).
The Pirates have shown solid production vs. lefties recently. Bachar (and subsequent relievers) faces a Cardinals lineup relying on Burleson’s consistency and Walker’s power; St. Louis has been quieter offensively of late (.214 AVG in last 10).
Liberatore has generated strikeouts against Pittsburgh before but also allowed traffic. PNC Park’s dimensions and the cool/breezy weather may favor ground balls and limit extra-base hits.
Recent Team Forms
Pirates: Excellent stretch — 6-4 (or better) in last 10, including a five-game win streak into the series opener (W5 heading into Wednesday in some reports). They are 15-6 in their last 21 and aiming for a winning season (first since 2018). Strong home form (43-36). Team AVG .254 (top-tier in NL), franchise-record power.
Cardinals: 4-6 in last 10, struggling on the road (four-game road losing streak entering the series). Offense has been quiet (.214 AVG recently); pitching has been more respectable (3.91 ERA in last 10 in one report). Overall road record even at 38-38.
Series History
This is the 12th meeting of 2026 (Cardinals held a 6-5 edge entering the current series). Pittsburgh took Game 1 of this set 2-0. Recent interleague/divisional results have been competitive, with both clubs exchanging series wins earlier in the year. The Pirates are motivated to finish the home stand strongly and push toward .500+.
Betting Trends
Pirates have been strong at home and in recent form; the Under has hit in several recent low-scoring games involving these clubs or Pittsburgh’s pitching. Liberatore’s elevated ERA and WHIP create risk for St. Louis, while Bachar’s opener role plus Pittsburgh’s bullpen depth and recent pitching success (including the Jones gem) lean toward the hosts. Cool weather and pitcher-friendly park further support lower scoring.
Game Odds
St. Louis Cardinals 7.5
Pittsburgh Pirates – 133
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, September 22, 2026
