Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 9/19/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Thursday, September 19, 2024

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+166) St. Louis (-202)

The St. Louis Cardinals (76-75) will try to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (71-80) at Busch Stadium on Thursday. The line on this matchup has the Pirates at +166 and the Cardinals are at -202. The betting total is set at 8. The expected starting pitchers will be Luis Ortiz and Erick Fedde.

As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates are notching 4.2 runs per game, which has them sitting at 22nd in MLB. They have 628 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .302. The Pirates have accumulated 222 doubles as a squad and have knocked 145 balls out of the park. They have tallied 606 runs batted in and 1,202 base knocks on the year, while their batting average is at .235. Pittsburgh is slugging .370 and have been rung up 1,399 times, while taking a walk on 453 occasions.

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They have a K/BB ratio of 2.66 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.31. Pirates pitchers have conceded 157 home runs and also 687 runs in total (20th in MLB). Pittsburgh has conceded 1,287 base hits (8.6 per 9 innings) and also 615 earned runs. The Pirates have compiled a team earned run average of 4.12 this season (18th in the league), and the staff has struck out 1,259 batters. They have walked 473 hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.05 as a squad this season.

The Pirates have sent 471 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign. The relief pitchers have inherited 186 base runners so far this season with 32.8% of them crossed the plate. They have earned 38 saves this year and have missed out on 28 of their 66 save chances. The Pirates relief pitchers have recorded a save rate of 57.6% and has entered the game in 146 save situations. The relief pitchers have accumulated 79 holds so far this year (14th in MLB). Pirates bullpen pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 123 times as well as having 157 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Pirates have converted 68.6% of baseballs in play into outs out of 12,093 innings, which has them ranked 23rd in the majors. The Pittsburgh Pirates are sitting with 4,031 putouts for the season, as well as 1,292 assists and 85 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .984 which is 21st in pro baseball, and have 134 double plays.

Ortiz (11-13 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 3.98 while facing 975 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. He has surrendered 207 base knocks (8.3 hits per 9 innings) and has 97 walks. His earned run average is 4.04 (101 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.351. Ortiz has taken the hill for 225 frames and has tallied 171 K's during his MLB career.

The St. Louis Cardinals have recorded an OBP of .309 as well as a team batting average of .245 this season. They have been called out on strikes on 1,228 occasions (20th in MLB) and have 1,257 hits. St. Louis has hit 154 home runs over the course of the season as well as 583 RBIs. The Cardinals have a team SLG% of .388 and they are earning 4.07 runs per contest (25th in the league). They have put up 232 doubles, while taking a walk 439 times as well as scoring 614 runs.

The Cardinals have a WHIP of 1.259 and have a FIP of 3.97 as a squad so far this season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 8.20 (1,226 strikeouts against 432 walks). They are sitting at 22nd in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,264. They have surrendered 163 homers and they surrender 4.51 runs per 9 innings (18th in the league). The St. Louis pitching staff have allowed 675 runs this season while having an ERA of 4.06 (607 earned runs allowed).

St. Louis has had relief pitchers step onto the hill in 76 save chances and they have walked away with 51 saves. They sit at 9th in the league holding a save percentage of 67.1%, and they have sent 476 relief pitchers onto the diamond on the season. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 170 times in high leverage situations and also on 153 occasions with runners on. St. Louis relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 36.0% out of 211 inherited base runners. Sitting with 172 save situations, the Cardinals have amassed 96 holds in addition to 25 blown saves.

The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 139 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .988 (4th in the majors). The Cardinals have 1,405 assists, 68 errors and have earned a total of 4,041 putouts so far this season. Out of their 12,123 innings played, the Cardinals have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 69.7% (17th in professional baseball).

Fedde (29-42 record in his career) holds a 4.89 earned run average and has conceded 9.4 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.05 and he has faced 2,691 hitters in his MLB career. He has given up 336 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.433 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.8. During his pro baseball career, Fedde has surrendered 645 hits while accumulating 493 K's in 618 frames.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+166)

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