Pirates vs. Cardinals prediction, odds, pick – 9/19/2024
Today at 11:19 AM
Our slate of MLB betting predictions and picks will continue on with this next matchup within the National League Central Division. The Pittsburgh Pirates will visit the St. Louis Cardinals for the final game of their current four-game series. It’s time to continue our MLB odds series with a Pirates-Cardinals prediction and pick.
Pirates-Cardinals Projected Starters
Luis Ortiz (RHP) vs. Erick Fedde (RHP)
Luis Ortiz (6-6) with a 3.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 95 K, 122.2 IP
Last Start: 9/13 vs. KC (L) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 K
2024 Road Splits: (4-3) with a 2.84 ERA, .214 OBA, 51 K, 57.0 IP
Erick Fedde (8-9) with a 3.45 ERA, 1.18 WHP, 141 K, 164.1 IP
Last Start: 9/13 @ TOR (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 K
2024 Home Splits: (6-4) with a 1.98 ERA, .224 OBA, 59 K, 68.1 IP
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Pirates-Cardinals Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-182)
Moneyline: +116
St. Louis Cardinals: -1.5 (+150)
Moneyline: -136
Over: 8.5 (+102)
Under: 8.5 (-124)
How to Watch Pirates vs. Cardinals
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET/ 4:15 p.m. PT
TV: SportsNet PT, ESPN+, MLB.TV
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why The Pirates Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently fifth in the NL Central by a 16-game margin and they’re out of contention when it comes to the Wild Card race. It was a tough season of ups and downs and while they won’t be making the Postseason this year, they have a few bright spots to be happy about moving forward. Namely, the emergence of pitcher Paul Skenes as one of the league’s best has this ball club excited for the future as they’re looking to lock him up as their star ace and continuing to build this rotation around him.
Luis Ortiz will get the nod here for just his fourteenth start of the season. With 35 total appearances on the year, he’s been used mostly as a relief pitcher in mid-game situations. He’s been seeing some opportunities to start with a number of injuries to the Pirates’ rotation and they don’t want to risk any injuries with the season all but over. He’s 2-2 over his last four starts and during those wins, he managed to pitch 12 collective scoreless innings. His last two starts, however, he’s allowed seven earned runs and will be hoping for a better performance in this one.
Why The Cardinals Will Cover The Spread/Win
The St. Louis Cardinals are currently third in the NL Central and trail the lead by 11 games. They’re currently seven games out of the final NL Wild Card spot and it doesn’t seem as though they’ll be making the Postseason this year. A year with high expectations, the Cardinals were plagued by injuries and couldn’t string together meaningful games for a record above .500. It’ll be interesting to see what changes they make this offseason with players like Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt unfortunately not being enough to make the Postseason. Injuries to players like Willson Coontreras and Lance Lynn have also put a serious dent in their season hopes.
The Cardinals will send Erick Fedde to the mound for his 30th start of the season. His solid 3.45 ERA ranks eighteenth among all pitchers and he heads into this game with a solid 6-4 record at home. Still, the Cardinals haven’t managed a win in his last three consecutive starts and he’s given up eight earned runs during that stretch. He’s also only notched four strikeouts through his last two starts, which is typically uncharacteristic of him and his ability to strike out the side. Expect Fedde to have a better showing as he looks to take this start deeper than the fifth inning.
Final Pirates-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
Neither of these teams are playing for anything other than pride at this point and while it was a valiant effort from both sides, neither city will see their club make the Postseason this year. Still, this is a divisional rivalry and every game counts when facing a divisional opponent, so both teams are expected to find this win and end their season positively.
The St. Louis Cardinals lead this season series 7-4 and they’ve taken the last two meetings against the Pirates, outscoring them 7-1 during this current series. The Pirates haven’t been putting up much of a fight from the plate and it’ll be interesting to see how one of their relief pitchers fares during this start.
For our final prediction, we have to roll with the St. Louis Cardinals to pick up this win. They’ve been the much better team during this current series and they really haven’t seen much resistance from this Pirates team all season. Expect the Cardinals to improve upon their 41-35 winning record at home as they manage the series win here.
Final Pirates-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+150)
The post Pirates vs. Cardinals prediction, odds, pick – 9/19/2024 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
