Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 6/26/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Saturday, June 26, 2021

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+120) St. Louis (-152)

Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals (36-39, 4th in NL Central) play the Pittsburgh Pirates (27-46, 5th in NL Central) at Busch Stadium on Saturday. The Cardinals open this matchup at -152 while the Pirates are priced at +120. The total is set at 7.5. The starting pitchers are JT Brubaker and Adam Wainwright.

The Pirates have accumulated 115 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 55 balls out of the park. Pittsburgh has a slugging rate of .356 and have been rung up 602 times, while taking a walk on 227 occasions. As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates are earning 3.6 runs per contest, which is 30th in MLB. They have tallied 247 runs batted in in addition to 557 hits for the year, and their team batting average is at .231. They have accounted for 262 runs scored while having a team OBP of .302.

The Pirates have compiled a team ERA of 4.71 for the season (23rd in baseball), and they have struck out 599 batters. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.36 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.33. Pirates pitchers have allowed 88 home runs and 351 runs (20th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 254 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 4.43 as a squad this year.

The Pirates relievers have a save rate of 71.4% and has come into the game in 44 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 100 base runners this season with 28.0% of them crossed home plate. Pirates bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with opponents on base 62 times in addition to having 55 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have sent 253 relievers to the hill so far this season. The relief pitchers have 28 holds over the course of the season (26th in the league). They have accumulated 10 saves so far this season and have blown 4 out of their 14 save opportunities.

The Pirates have converted 70.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 5,673 innings on the field, ranking them 14th in baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates have a tally of 1,891 putouts for the season, in addition to 655 assists and 39 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .985 which has them sitting 7th in the majors, and have a total of 516 double plays.

Brubaker has pitched in 119 innings and has earned 120 punch outs during his pro baseball career. Brubaker (5-9 career win-loss mark) has a FIP of 4.07 and he has gone up against 505 hitters during his time in the majors. His earned run average is 4.24 (56 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.218. He has surrendered 113 base knocks (8.5 hits per nine innings) and has 32 walks.

The Cardinals have a team slugging percentage of .373 and they average 3.91 runs per game (27th in baseball). They have 111 two-baggers, while taking a walk 223 times and scoring 293 runs. St. Louis is sitting with 78 home runs for the season as well as 278 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 622 occasions (23rd in the league) and have notched a total of 551 base knocks. The St. Louis Cardinals are sitting with a team OBP of .298 in addition to a batting average of .225 on the season.

The Cardinals hold a team WHIP of 1.368 with a FIP of 4.39 as a team this season. They come in at 12th in the league as a staff in total hits given up with 560. The St. Louis pitching staff have surrendered 341 runs this year while having an ERA of 4.31 (311 earned runs allowed). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.80 (591 strikeouts vs 328 walks). They have relinquished 65 long balls and they allow 4.73 runs per 9 innings (18th in baseball).

With 60 save situations, the Cardinals have recorded 31 holds and 6 blown saves. St. Louis has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the game in 27 save opportunities and they have earned 21 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 64 times in high leverage situations and also on 77 occasions with runners on base. St. Louis bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 46.3% out of their 134 inherited base runners. They rank 3rd in baseball holding a save percentage of 77.8%, and they have sent 246 relievers to the mound on the campaign.

In 5,841 innings on the diamond, the Cardinals have a defensive efficiency of 70.8% (10th in baseball). The St. Louis Cardinals have twisted 57 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .983 (21st in pro baseball). The Cardinals have accrued 662 assists, 46 errors and have earned a total of 1,947 putouts on the campaign.

So far in his MLB career, Wainwright has given up 2,138 base hits while totaling 1,914 strikeouts in 2,256 innings pitched. Wainwright (172-103 mark in his career) holds a 3.39 earned run average and has surrendered 8.5 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 851 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.221 and having a FIP of 3.4. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.11 and he has gone up against 9,358 opposing batters thus far in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take St. Louis (-152)

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