The Pittsburgh Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals on September 23, 2026. First pitch from PNC Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on CARD.
The Cardinals are +100 on the moneyline and -1.5 on the run line. The Pirates are -118 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 7.5 runs.
Find our MLB picks and Cardinals vs Pirates prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Cardinals vs Pirates Prediction
- Cardinals vs Pirates Pick: Under 7.5 (-105)
Our Cardinals vs Pirates best bet is on the under total runs. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page and download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis!
Cardinals vs Pirates Odds
| Cardinals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +162 | 7.5 -115o / -105u | +100 |
| Pirates Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -196 | 7.5 -115o / -105u | -118 |
- Cardinals vs Pirates moneyline: Cardinals +100, Pirates -118
- Cardinals vs Pirates over/under: 7.5 (-115o / -105u)
- Cardinals vs Pirates spread: Cardinals -1.5 (+162), Pirates +1.5 (-196)
Cardinals vs Pirates Probable Pitchers
| Matthew Liberatore (LHP, STL) | Stat | Lake Bachar (RHP, PIT) |
|---|---|---|
| 5-14 | W-L | 1-4 |
| 1.0 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.3 |
| 5.36/5.01 | ERA / xERA | 3.56/3.51 |
| 4.67/4.12 | FIP / xFIP | 4.48/4.26 |
| 14.3% | K-BB% | 15.1% |
| 36.8% | GB% | 38.8% |
| .336 | BABIP | .229 |
| 97 | Stuff+ | 97 |
| 99 | Location+ | 97 |
Cardinals vs Pirates MLB Betting Preview
The St. Louis Cardinals head into Pittsburgh looking to snap a four-game road slide as they square off against the Division-rival Pirates at PNC Park.
This matchup marks the 12th meeting between the two NL Central foes this season, with St. Louis holding a tight 6-5 lead in the head-to-head series.
Pittsburgh comes into Wednesday's contest carrying an 80-77 overall record, anchored by a solid 43-36 home mark, while their lineup continues to hit at a reliable clip, ranking third in the National League with a .254 collective batting average.
On the other side, the Cardinals sit at 76-81 overall and hold a balanced 38-38 record on the highway, supported by a .314 team on-base percentage that ranks tenth in the league.
Pitching duties fall on lefty Matthew Liberatore for St. Louis, while Pittsburgh turns to right-hander Lake Bachar.
Liberatore enters with a 5-14 record, a 5.36 ERA, a 1.49 WHIP, and 148 strikeouts on the year. The Cardinals starter is still searching for his first career road victory at PNC Park, having gone 0-3 across five prior appearances in Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Bachar takes the mound with a 1-4 record, a 3.56 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts.
Cardinals vs Pirates Pick, Betting Analysis
The best play for this matchup is taking the Under 7.5 runs, heavily supported by Evan Abrams’ trusted trend system, "Series Unders: Off Low-Scoring Games."
This situational model focuses specifically on regular-season series where both clubs enter the second game or later following sluggish offensive output in their previous outing.
When offenses go through quiet stretches early to mid-series, betting lines frequently overcorrect or undervalue the likelihood that these bats remain quiet.
Because both teams are struggling to build offensive momentum, the market presents a great window to capitalize on a low-scoring rhythm. Rather than expecting an sudden explosion of run production, the underlying situational factors point toward a slow-paced battle dominated by cold bats and situational pitching.
Expect both lineups to continue their low-output trends in this park environment, making the Under 7.5 runs the target.
Pick: Under 7.5 (-105)
