Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 8/21/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+155) St. Louis (-200)

Dillon Peters and the Pittsburgh Pirates (42-79, 5th in NL Central) are headed to Busch Stadium on Saturday where they'll meet the St. Louis Cardinals (62-58, 3rd in NL Central). The Cardinals open this contest at -200 while the Pirates are priced at +155. The total has been set at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Dillon Peters and J.A. Happ.

Pittsburgh has a slugging % of .359 and have struck out 989 times, while being walked on 373 occasions. They have recorded 407 runs batted in and 931 hits for the year, while their average at the plate is sitting at .233. The Pirates have recorded 186 doubles as a unit and have smacked 92 balls out of the stadium. They have accounted for 431 runs and have an on-base percentage of .303. As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates are putting up 3.6 runs per contest, which ranks them 30th in the league.

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The Pirates are sitting with a team earned run average of 5.09 for the year (28th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 983 hitters. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.19 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.41. Pirates pitchers have allowed 157 long balls in addition to 622 runs in total (27th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 448 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 4.71 as a team so far this year.

The Pirates relievers have recorded a save percentage of 57.7% and has entered the game in 76 save situations. The relievers have inherited 152 base runners this year and 32.9% of those players ended up crossing the plate. Pirates bullpen pitchers have come into the game with opponents on base 90 times as well as having 88 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have sent 415 relief pitchers to the hill on the season. The relievers have notched 47 holds this season (27th in MLB). They have recorded 15 saves over the course of the season and have blown 11 of 26 save opportunities.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have 3,109 putouts this season, as well as 1,029 assists and 58 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .986 which puts them in 6th in the majors, and have 853 double plays. The Pirates have converted 69.0% of balls in play into outs in their 9,327 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 21st in the majors.

Peters has taken the mound for 137 innings and has 104 strikeouts in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 5.70 (87 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.617. He has given up 159 hits (10.4 hits per 9 innings) with 63 walks. Peters (7-9 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 5.78 and he has gone up against 626 opposing batters in the majors.

The Cardinals have a SLG% of .393 and they average 4.12 runs per outing (24th in MLB). They have put up 191 two-baggers, while taking a walk 364 times and racking up 494 runs. St. Louis has recorded 133 long balls so far this season to go along with 474 RBIs. They have been rung up on 986 instances (26th in baseball) and have earned 941 hits. The St. Louis Cardinals have tallied a team OBP of .309 and a team batting average of .237 on the season.

The Cardinals hold a team WHIP of 1.327 in addition to having a FIP of 4.35 as a squad on the season. They are sitting at 8th in the league as a staff in total hits surrendered with 913. The St. Louis pitching staff have conceded 515 runs so far this year while having a team ERA of 4.09 (477 earned runs allowed). Their K/BB ratio sits at 1.91 (919 strikeouts vs 480 walks). They have allowed 107 homers and they surrender 4.41 runs per 9 innings (14th in baseball).

St. Louis has had relief pitchers enter the game in 46 save chances and they have come away with 33 saves. They are ranked 2nd in baseball holding a save percentage of 71.7%, and they have sent 413 relief pitchers onto the field so far this season. Their relievers have come in 109 times in high leverage situations and on 129 occasions with runners on. St. Louis bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 36.7% of 218 inherited runners. Sitting with 118 save situations, the Cardinals have 70 holds and also 13 blown saves.

In their 9,453 innings played, the Cardinals are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 71.2% (4th in the majors). The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 93 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .984 (17th in the majors). The Cardinals have racked up 1,103 assists, 67 errors and are sitting with 3,151 putouts during this campaign.

During his pro baseball career, Happ has allowed 1,781 base knocks while earning 1,627 K's in 1,856 frames. Happ (130-98 mark in his career) has earned a 4.11 earned run average while giving up 8.6 hits per nine innings. He has conceded a total of 847 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.313 and having a FIP of 4.3. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.48 and he has gone up against 7,886 opposing batters in his MLB career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+155)

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