Pirates vs. Cardinals Odds & Betting Predictions - September 16, 2024

Follow On X: https://x.com/PicksOffice The Cardinals have a pretty huge leg up going into this series against the Pirates, especially when bringing in the pitching matchup of Andre Pallante. While Pallante's overall numbers this season aren't very appealing, owning a 4.13 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, he has been very good in matchups that are holding the Pirate offense down. He's generally been trustworthy not to take too hard of contact, with that weak contact skill supported by a low 3.8 percent barrel rate and .240 xBA. That's shown in a couple of his starts in recent times against Pittsburgh - he pitched 6 and 7 innings of 1-run ball back in July. But while not overpowering hitters via the strikeout department - it starts and ends in most cases with a 17.5% K-rate - the success lies in the mix of stuff with command for Pallante, who becomes a viable option to tame the Buccos' anemic offense. The struggles find their place in the offensive rankings for Pittsburgh, coming in 26th in OPS at .674 and home runs with 144, while the batting average sits at .236, good for 23rd in the majors. This weak offense puts them at a disadvantage against a Cardinals team that usually fares better at home. St. Louis is batting .248 with a .394 slugging percentage at home compared with Pittsburgh's .228 road average and .356 SLG, respectively. The Cardinals also score more runs at home per game, averaging at 4.39 against the Pirates' 4.00 on the road. Of course, this pointer does go high, as the visitors struggled on the road to such an extent that they recorded a 4-12 mark in their last 16 road games. Adding another layer of confidence from the Cardinals' bullpen, it outperforms Pittsburgh's in both the whole season line, at 3.32 ERA versus 3.89, and lately, posting a 2.16 ERA in the last 3 games versus 3.63 for Pittsburgh. With St. Louis' bullpen doing a better job of limiting baserunners to this point in the season, carrying a 1.21 WHIP to Pittsburgh's 1.29, the disparity in late-game pitching performance might indicate an ability to close things out strong for the Cardinals. In further confirmation, a strong home record of 39-35 bolsters their case against a losing road record of 33-38 for Pittsburgh. The season Paul Skenes is having is impressive: 2.10 ERA, 151 Ks in 120 innings. But he has had a few hiccups recently-including that narrow loss to the Cardinals back in July. Between their struggles against the Cardinals in key moments and their worrisome defense ranking 21st in team errors with 82 on the year, there are a number of paths through which the Cardinals can win.

Avery

Pirates bullpen meltdown

Bet to +115