Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 9/3/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Sunday, September 3, 2023

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Busch Stadium is the location where the St. Louis Cardinals (58-76) will try to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates (61-73) on Sunday. The pitchers who are expected to start are Johan Oviedo and Adam Wainwright.

Pittsburgh owns a slugging percentage of .388 and have struck out 1,191 times, while being walked on 473 occasions. They have 538 RBI's and 1,044 base knocks so far this year, and their team batting average is sitting at .235. The Pirates have accrued 236 doubles as a squad and have smacked 131 balls out of the park. They have earned 562 runs and have an OBP of .314. As a unit, the Pittsburgh Pirates are scoring 4.2 runs per game, which ranks them 24th in the league.

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The Pirates hold a team ERA of 4.53 so far this season (21st in the league), and the staff has rung up 1,142 batters. Pirates pitchers have surrendered 143 long balls in addition to 647 runs in total (20th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 486 batters and their FIP comes in at 4.31 as a team for the year. Pittsburgh has conceded 1,149 base knocks (8.7 per 9 innings) in addition to 595 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.35 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.38.

The Pirates have sent 425 relief pitchers to the mound so far this season. The relievers have inherited 196 base runners for the season with 32.7% of those players crossed home plate. They have 36 saves over the course of the season and have not converted 15 out of their 51 save opportunities. The Pirates relievers have a save percentage of 70.6% and has entered the game in 121 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 67 holds on the season (19th in baseball). Pirates pitchers have entered the game with opponents on base 133 times and also have had 132 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have amassed 3,494 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 1,107 assists and 76 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .984 which ranks 25th in baseball, and they have twisted 110 double plays. The Pirates have converted 68.1% of balls in play into outs out of their 10,482 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 24th in professional baseball.

Oviedo has taken the ball for 297 innings and has earned 255 strikeouts during his career. His earned run average is 4.27 (141 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.349. He has surrendered 267 base hits (8.1 hits per 9 innings) and has had 134 free passes. Oviedo (12-24 career record) has a FIP of 4.49 while he has gone up against 1,305 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues.

The Cardinals hold a team slugging percentage of .426 and they average 4.49 runs per game (17th in MLB). They have recorded 224 two-baggers, while getting a free base 456 times and putting up 601 runs. St. Louis has recorded 181 long balls on the year and 582 runs batted in. They have struck out on 1,114 occasions (18th in MLB) and have earned 1,161 base knocks. The St. Louis Cardinals hold an OBP of .328 as well as a batting average of .254 so far this season.

The Cardinals have a WHIP of 1.450 in addition to having a FIP of 4.25 as a team on the season. They sit at 29th in the league as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,281. The St. Louis pitching staff have given up 677 runs on the year while holding a team ERA of 4.71 (617 earned runs relinquished). Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 7.90 (1,031 strikeouts against 430 free passes). They have given up 136 HR's and they concede 5.16 runs per 9 innings (24th in baseball).

St. Louis relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.6% of 229 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 134 times in high leverage situations and also on 143 occasions with base runners. With 121 save situations, the Cardinals have compiled 67 holds and 25 blown saves. They rank 25th in baseball with a save rate of 52.8%, and they have sent 391 relievers to the hill so far this year. St. Louis has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 53 save chances and they have come away with 28 saves.

In their 10,452 innings on the diamond, the Cardinals have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 66.6% (30th in the majors). The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 117 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .989 (4th in pro baseball). The Cardinals have recorded 1,277 assists, 54 errors and have a total of 3,484 putouts for the season.

Wainwright (198-127 mark in his career) has a 3.53 ERA and has allowed 8.7 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.01 and he has faced 11,038 opposing hitters in his career. He has conceded 1,039 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.240 and having a FIP of 3.5. So far in his MLB career, Wainwright has allowed 2,558 hits while accumulating 2,192 strikeouts in 2,650 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take St. Louis

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