St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/21/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Monday, August 21, 2023

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates (55-68) will go up against the St. Louis Cardinals (54-70) at PNC Park on Monday. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Matthew Liberatore and Bailey Falter.

The Cardinals have recorded 206 doubles as a team and have hit 171 balls out of the park. St. Louis has a slugging rate of .432 and have been called out on strikes 1,015 times, while being walked on 429 occasions. As a team, the St. Louis Cardinals are scoring 4.6 runs per game, which has them at 14th in baseball. They have accumulated 550 runs batted in as well as 1,089 base knocks on the year, while their team batting average sits at .257. They have tallied 569 runs while having a team OBP of .331.

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The Cardinals hold a team ERA of 4.62 on the year (23rd in baseball), and the staff has rung up 974 batters. Cardinals pitchers have conceded 125 home runs and 618 runs in total (25th in the league). They have walked 398 opposing hitters and their FIP is 4.21 as a team over the course of the season. St. Louis has given up 1,172 base hits (9.6 per 9 innings) in addition to 562 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.45 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.43.

The Cardinals relievers have accumulated a save rate of 51.9% and has entered the game in 116 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 216 runners for the year and 30.6% of those players ended up scoring. Cardinals relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on 133 times as well as having 130 appearances in high leverage situations. The Cardinals have dispatched 365 relievers to the mound on the year. The bullpen have 63 holds this season (17th in the league). They have tallied 27 saves so far this year and have blown 25 of 52 chances to save the game.

The St. Louis Cardinals have a tally of 3,283 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 1,201 assists and 49 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .989 which is 3rd in MLB, and they have turned 112 double plays. The Cardinals have turned 66.7% of balls hit into play into outs in their 9,849 innings on the diamond, which has them ranked 30th in baseball.

Liberatore has pitched in 84 frames and has 63 K's during his career. His earned run average is 6.06 (57 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.677. He has given up 103 hits (10.9 hits per 9 innings) and has 39 walks. Liberatore (4-7 career win-loss record) has a FIP of 4.69 while going up against 393 hitters during his time in the major leagues.

Pittsburgh has accounted for 122 home runs so far this season as well as 491 RBIs. They have put up 209 doubles, while taking a walk 437 times as well as racking up 513 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have an on-base percentage of .314 in addition to a batting average of .235 for the season. The Pirates have a team slugging % of .387 and they are earning 4.17 runs per contest (24th in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 1,099 occasions (10th in MLB) and have earned a total of 957 base hits.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have conceded 605 runs for the year while holding a team ERA of 4.61 (555 earned runs conceded). They have given up 138 dingers and they concede 5.03 runs per 9 innings (23rd in the league). The Pirates hold a team WHIP of 1.406 in addition to having a FIP of 4.41 as a squad this year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.70 (1,050 strikeouts vs 452 walks). They are sitting at 24th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 1,071.

Pittsburgh has had relief pitchers enter the contest in 48 save opportunities and they have come away with 33 saves. They are currently ranked 7th in the league holding a save rate of 68.8%, and they have dispatched 396 relievers to the mound on the season. Their relievers have come in 127 times in high leverage situations and on 125 occasions with runners on. Pittsburgh relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 32.4% of 188 inherited runners. With 113 save situations, the Pirates have 62 holds and 15 blown saves.

Out of their 9,753 innings played, the Pirates have earned a defensive efficiency of 67.8% (27th in pro baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 106 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .983 (25th in professional baseball). The Pirates have 1,018 assists, 73 errors and have notched a total of 3,251 putouts for the year.

Falter (8-12 win-loss mark in his career) holds a 4.52 earned run average while allowing 9.8 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 4.17 and he has gone up against 722 batters in his pro baseball career. He has surrendered a total of 86 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.296 and a FIP of 4.6. So far in his pro baseball career, Falter has given up 187 base hits while earning 146 punch outs in 171 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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