Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 4/15/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Saturday, April 15, 2023

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+205) St. Louis (-245)

Busch Stadium is the location where the St. Louis Cardinals (5-8) will play the Pittsburgh Pirates (8-5) on Saturday. The odds on this game have the Pirates at +205 while the Cardinals are priced at -245. The over/under has been set at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Roansy Contreras and Steven Matz.

The Pirates have accounted for 24 doubles as a unit and have knocked 17 baseballs out of the park. Pittsburgh is slugging .417 and have been called out on strikes 107 times, while drawing a walk on 50 occasions. As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are putting up 4.3 runs per game, which ranks them 21st in baseball. They have earned 53 RBI's as well as 98 base knocks on the campaign, while their average at the plate is at .231. They have earned a total of 56 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .312.

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They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.08 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.41. Pirates pitchers have conceded 17 home runs and 60 total runs (15th in baseball). Pittsburgh has relinquished 113 hits (8.8 per 9 innings) in addition to 58 earned runs. The Pirates have compiled a team earned run average of 4.54 for the year (17th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 102 batters. They have walked 49 hitters and their FIP sits at 4.87 as a unit this year.

The Pirates relief pitchers have a save percentage of 85.7% and has stepped onto the mound in 20 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 16 runners for the season and 18.8% of them earned a run for their team. Pirates bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 10 times in addition to having 12 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have dispatched 41 relievers to the hill this season. The bullpen have a total of 12 holds this year (6th in the league). They have earned 6 saves so far this season and have blown 1 of 7 chances to save the game.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have amassed 345 putouts for the season, as well as 103 assists and 6 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .987 which has them ranked 13th in baseball, and have a total of 8 double plays. The Pirates have converted 70.1% of balls in play into outs in their 1,035 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 10th in the majors.

Contreras (6-6 career win-loss mark) has a FIP of 4.29 while he has gone up against 465 opposing batters in the majors. He has conceded 97 hits (8.2 hits per 9 innings) and has 45 walks. His ERA is 4.04 (48 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.327. Contreras has thrown 107 frames and has accounted for 95 strikeouts in his career.

The Cardinals have a SLG% of .433 and they earn 4.31 runs per game (22nd in baseball). They have 21 doubles, while walking 47 times and notching 56 runs. St. Louis has a total of 16 home runs this year to go along with 55 runs batted in. They have struck out on 103 occasions (23rd in the league) and have earned a total of 125 base hits. The St. Louis Cardinals have an OBP of .347 and a team batting average of .276 over the course of the season.

The Cardinals are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.544 in addition to having a FIP of 4.32 as a staff this season. They are currently ranked 30th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 130. The St. Louis pitching staff have allowed 64 runs so far this year while holding a team ERA of 4.89 (62 earned runs conceded). They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.30 (118 strikeouts vs 46 bases on balls). They have allowed 15 homers and they surrender 5.05 runs per 9 innings (19th in MLB).

With 12 save situations, the Cardinals have accumulated 6 holds and 3 blown saves. St. Louis has called on relievers to enter the contest in 6 save chances and they have tallied 3 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 11 times in high leverage situations and on 15 occasions with runners on base. St. Louis relievers have an inherited score percentage of 20.8% out of their 24 inherited runners. They are ranked 25th in baseball with a save percentage of 50.0%, and they have sent 43 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign.

The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 15 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .992 (6th in baseball). The Cardinals have racked up 129 assists, 4 errors and have a tally of 342 putouts on the campaign. In their 1,026 innings on the field, the Cardinals are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 63.8% (29th in baseball).

Matz (50-53 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a 4.36 earned run average and has given up 9.3 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.22 and he has gone up against 3,386 opposing batters thus far in his career. He has given up a total of 382 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.328 and having a FIP of 4.3. During his MLB career, Matz has allowed 812 base knocks while totaling 761 K's in 789 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+205)

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