Cardinals vs Pirates MLB Odds, Preview & Prediction.

Cardinals vs Pirates MLB Odds, Preview & Prediction

Written by on July 23, 2019

It’s Game 2 of a four-game set between NL Central Division rivals on Tuesday night as the St. Louis Cardinals throw young Dakota Hudson against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who counter with inconsistent right-hander Chris Archer. The Bucs are short MLB Betting favorites.

How to Bet Cardinals vs Pirates MLB Odds & Game Info

Why Bet on St. Louis?

Over the weekend, the Cardinals restocked their bullpen with the addition of lefty Tyler Webb and restored the lost bat to their bench by bringing back first baseman Rangel Ravelo. To make room on the active roster the Cardinals sent relievers Ryan Helsley and Dominic Leone to Class AAA Memphis.

The Cardinals are without three regulars right now with catcher Yadier Molina, third baseman Matt Carpenter and outfielder Marcell Ozuna all on the injured list. The approximate target date for Molina to be re-evaluated is July 29. Molina hasn’t played since July 6 due to continued soreness in his right thumb. Carpenter (foot) is eligible for activation on July 26 and he should have a shot to return at that time if all goes well. Ozuna isn’t expected back from a finger injury until next month.

Star slugger Paul Goldschmidt is not having a good season. Right now, all these numbers would be career lows: 248 average, .335 on-base, .424 slugging percentage, and his 2019 OPS of .759 is a drag on his career .916 OPS. Hitting coach Jeff Albert has suggested Goldschmidt look at the video from previous seasons to see what was right in his swing, not at-bats from this year to ruminate over what’s wrong.

The Cardinals bullpen has posted a National League-leading 3.91 ERA and held their opposition to a league-best .212 batting average this season. Cardinals relievers have held their opposition scoreless in 37 games this season and rank 2nd among N.L. teams with relievers posting 94 appearances of four outs or more (Milwaukee, 112).

It’s Dakota Hudson on the mound. Hudson (9-4) got the win against the Reds on Thursday, giving up three earned runs on six hits over five innings, striking out three and walking two as the Cardinals won 7-4. The 24-year-old continues to hold his own in his first full season as a starter, notching his third win in his last four starts in this contest. He’s sporting a solid 3.57 ERA over 103.1 innings, although his 1.51 WHIP suggests he’s probably a bit fortunate that number isn’t a little higher.

Team Stats

Offense
  • Runs: 4.51
  • Hits: 8.16
  • Walks: 3.30
  • Strike Outs: 8.48
Defense
  • Runs: 4.35
  • Hits: 8.08
  • Walks: 3.33
  • Strike Outs: 8.64

Why Bet on Pittsburgh?

The Pirates and Cardinals are meeting after just playing three games in St. Louis last week. The Bucs have gone 4-5 overall against the Redbirds this season; they dropped two games at PNC Park in extra innings, including a 6-5, 11-inning loss in the Home Opener on April 1…Dating back to the 2013 season, the Pirates have gone 34-25 against the Cardinals on their home turf (includes one win in Williamsport at the Little League Classic).

Colin Moran is hitting .408 (20-for-49) with five doubles, a triple, seven RBI and five runs scored in his first 16 games this month; only Anthony Rizzo (.418) has a higher average among N.L. players in July. Moran is one homer shy of matching his career-high of 11 hits last year and seven RBI shy of the 58 he produced in 2018.

Cardinals vs Pirates is going to be a close one.

All-Star closer Felipe Vázquez has converted 21 of his 22 save opportunities this season and 49 of his last 52 save chances, dating back to May 30 of last season. Among all Major League closers with at least 35 saves in that time, nobody has posted a better conversion rate than Vázquez (49-for-52, 94.2%).

Pittsburgh goes with Chris Archer. Archer allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while recording eight strikeouts across six innings during a no-decision against the Cardinals last Wednesday. The 30-year-old continues to experience a little bit of tough luck. He’s suffered six straight no-decisions and hasn’t won a game since June 6. Archer again allowed a homer late in his outing Wednesday, and this time, the bullpen blew his lead and a chance at a win. Archer is 3-6 with a 5.36 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts in 90.2 innings this season.

Archer has pitched better since the All-Star break, racking up 18 strikeouts with only four walks in 12 innings over a pair of quality starts, but he’ll be looking for his first win since June 6 as he faces the Cardinals for the second time in a row.

Team Stats

Offense
  • Runs: 4.66
  • Hits: 9.43
  • Walks: 2.64
  • Strike Outs: 7.81
Defense
  • Runs: 5.23
  • Hits: 9.10
  • Walks: 3.66
  • Strike Outs: 8.86

Cardinals vs Pirates MLB Betting Trends

  • Cardinals are 7-0 in Hudson’s last 7 starts vs. a team with a losing record
  • Pirates are 0-5 in Archer’s last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance
  • Cardinals are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
  • The total has gone UNDER in 8 of St. Louis’ last 12 games against an opponent in the National League
  • Pirates are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against St. Louis
  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh’s last 9 games at home

Expert Final Score Prediction for Cardinals vs Pirates

St. Louis Cardinals 5 – Pittsburgh Pirates 3