Cardinals vs. Pirates Prediction, Computer Picks, Odds & Pitching Matchup 9/9/2022

The St. Louis Cardinals (81-57) will look to Yadier Molina, who is coming off a two-homer game, to lead them in a matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates (50-86) Friday at 6:35 PM ET. The Cardinals are -203 favorites for the contest, according to oddsmakers. St. Louis’ Miles Mikolas and Pittsburgh’s Roansy Contreras have been named the starters for this contest.

Cardinals vs. Pirates Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Cardinals vs. Pirates

Our best bet is the Pirates on the moneyline at +170 after looking at all of the key trends and stats for this matchup. Our computer predicts the total score will over the total of 8 runs.

Our computer pick: Pittsburgh Pirates (+170) and Over (8)

Cardinals vs. Pirates Game Info

• St. Louis Cardinals probable starting pitcher: Miles Mikolas
• Pittsburgh Pirates probable starting pitcher: Roansy Contreras
• Game Day: Friday, September 9, 2022
• Game Time: 6:35 PM ET
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Stadium: PNC Park

St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Pitching Matchup

Cardinals Starter Miles Mikolas

• The Cardinals are sending Mikolas (11-10) out for his 29th start of the season. He is 11-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 176 1/3 innings pitched.
• The right-hander’s most recent appearance came on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, when he threw eight scoreless innings while allowing two hits.
• The 34-year-old has a 3.32 ERA and 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 28 games this season, while allowing a batting average of .225 to his opponents.
• Mikolas is looking to record his 20th quality start of the year in this game.
• Mikolas has put up 25 starts this campaign in which he pitched five or more innings.
• The opposing Pirates offense has the 27th-ranked slugging percentage (.359) and ranks 19th in MLB play with 131 home runs. It has a collective .219 batting average, and is 29th in MLB with 980 total hits and 27th in MLB action scoring 476 runs.
• Mikolas has a 1.46 ERA and a 0.811 WHIP against the Pirates this season in 12 1/3 innings pitched, allowing a .163 batting average over two appearances.
• Among qualifying pitchers in MLB action this season, the 34-year-old’s 3.32 ERA ranks 27th, 1.009 WHIP ranks 11th, and 6.5 K/9 ranks 44th.

Pirates Starter Roansy Contreras

• The Pirates’ Contreras (4-4) will make his 14th start of the season.
• The right-hander gave up one earned run in six innings pitched on Saturday in his last outing, a matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays.
• The 22-year-old has an ERA of 3.41, a 2.121 strikeout to walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.311 in 16 games this season.
• He has three quality starts in 13 chances this season.
• Contreras has five starts in a row of five innings or more.
• The Cardinals are batting .257 this season, sixth in MLB. They have a team slugging percentage of .429 (third in the league) with 175 home runs.
• The Cardinals have gone 8-for-25 with three doubles, a triple, a home run and five RBI in six innings this season against the right-hander.

Cardinals Betting Picks & Insights

• The Cardinals have entered the game as favorites 85 times this season and won 58, or 68.2%, of those games.
• This season, St. Louis has won 12 of its 17 games, or 70.6%, when favored by at least -203 on the moneyline.
• The oddsmakers’ moneyline implies a 67% chance of a victory for the Cardinals.
• So far this season, St. Louis and its opponents have hit the over in 67 of their 141 games with a total.
• The Cardinals are 79-61-0 ATS in their 140 games with a spread this season.

Pirates Betting Picks & Insights

• The Pirates have been chosen as underdogs in 118 games this year and have walked away with the win 41 times (34.7%) in those games.
• Pittsburgh has a win-loss record of 13-30 when favored by +170 or worse by bookmakers this year.
• The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Pirates have a 37% chance of coming away with a victory in the contest.
• Pittsburgh and their opponents have gone over in 61 of their 137 games with a total set by sportsbooks this season.
• In 137 games with a line this season, the Pirates have a mark of 67-70-0 against the spread.

Cardinals Leaders & Batting Stats

• Paul Goldschmidt has racked up a team-high batting average of .328, while pacing the Cardinals in home runs (35) and runs batted in (109).
• Goldschmidt is third in home runs and second in RBI among all hitters in MLB.
• Goldschmidt has collected a hit in three games in a row. During his last five outings he is batting .235 with a double, a home run, three walks and two RBI.
• Nolan Arenado has 37 doubles, a triple, 28 home runs and 44 walks while batting .300.
• Including all major league batters, Arenado ranks 13th in home runs and sixth in RBI.
• Tommy Edman is hitting .265 with 27 doubles, four triples, 13 home runs and 40 walks.
• Edman has at least one base hit in 11 straight games. During his last 10 outings he is hitting .410 with six doubles, three home runs, a walk and nine RBI.
• Brendan Donovan is hitting .297 with 18 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 46 walks.
• Donovan brings a three-game streak with at least one hit into this one. During his last five outings he is hitting .375 with a double, a home run, three walks and an RBI.

Pirates Leaders & Batting Stats

• Bryan Reynolds paces the Pirates in home runs (21), runs batted in (49) and has put up a team-high batting average of .255.
• In all of MLB, Reynolds is 40th in home runs and 117th in RBI.
• Ke’Bryan Hayes has 20 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 41 walks while batting .241.
• Hayes is currently 237th in homers and 197th in RBI in the big leagues.
• Ben Gamel is batting .235 with 18 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 38 walks.
• Michael Chavis is hitting .238 with 14 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 14 walks.