Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 4/13/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Thursday, April 13, 2023

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+245) St. Louis (-295)

Busch Stadium is the location where the St. Louis Cardinals (4-7) will play the Pittsburgh Pirates (7-4) on Thursday. The moneyline on this game has the Pirates at +245 and the Cardinals are at -295. The over/under has been set at 8. The pitchers taking the mound will be Vince Velasquez and Jordan Montgomery.

The Pirates have compiled 19 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 15 balls out of the park. Pittsburgh is slugging .425 and have been rung up 90 times, while taking a walk on 39 occasions. As a unit, the Pittsburgh Pirates are scoring 4.6 runs per outing, which puts them at 15th in MLB. They have earned 49 runs batted in in addition to 86 hits this year, and their average at the plate comes in at .238. They have 51 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .312.

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The Pirates have compiled a team earned run average of 4.73 on the campaign (18th in the league), and the staff has struck out 90 batters. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.20 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.40. Pirates pitchers have relinquished 15 home runs in addition to 53 total runs (15th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 41 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.89 as a unit this year.

The Pirates have dispatched 35 relief pitchers to the mound this season. The relief pitchers have inherited 14 base runners this season and 21.4% of those players earned a run for their team. They have accumulated 6 saves over the course of the season and have not converted 1 out of their 7 chances to get a save. The Pirates relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 85.7% and has entered the game in 19 save situations. The bullpen have notched 11 holds so far this season (5th in the league). Pirates pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 9 times in addition to having 11 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a tally of 291 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 93 assists and 5 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .987 which ranks 14th in the majors, and have 8 double plays. The Pirates have turned 69.8% of baseballs in play into outs in their 873 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 10th in pro baseball.

Velasquez (34-49 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 4.56 while going up against 3,170 hitters in the majors. He has allowed 717 hits (8.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 298 walks. His ERA is 4.98 (406 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.383. Velasquez has taken the hill for 733 innings and has 789 K's so far in his pro baseball career.

The St. Louis Cardinals have accumulated an on-base percentage of .358 and a batting average of .286 for the year. They have been called out on strikes on 80 occasions (28th in the league) and have earned 109 hits. St. Louis has recorded 13 HRs on the season to go along with 48 RBIs. The Cardinals have a SLG% of .433 and they are earning 4.45 runs per contest (23rd in MLB). They have hit 15 two-baggers, while walking 41 times and recording 49 runs.

The St. Louis pitching staff have allowed 55 runs for the year while having an ERA of 5.06 (54 earned runs surrendered). They have yielded 12 homers and they relinquish 5.16 runs per 9 innings (20th in the league). The Cardinals have a WHIP of 1.583 and have a FIP of 4.27 as a unit for the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 2.58 (98 strikeouts vs 38 free passes). They are currently ranked 30th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 114.

St. Louis has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 4 save opportunities and they have come away with 2 saves. They are currently ranked 26th in the league with a save rate of 50.0%, and they have sent 35 relief pitchers onto the field on the campaign. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 6 times in high leverage situations and also on 11 occasions with runners on. St. Louis bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 20.0% out of 15 inherited base runners. With 7 save situations, the Cardinals have accumulated 3 holds and also 2 blown saves.

In 864 innings on the field, the Cardinals have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 62.7% (30th in the majors). The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten 12 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .990 (9th in baseball). The Cardinals have racked up 107 assists, 4 errors and have a total of 288 putouts for the season.

So far in his MLB career, Montgomery has surrendered 538 base hits and he has 551 strikeouts in 578 innings pitched. Montgomery (30-23 career record) has earned a 3.81 earned run average while allowing 8.4 hits per nine innings. He has conceded 245 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.210 and having a FIP of 3.8. His K/BB ratio is 3.40 and he has faced 2,410 opposing hitters thus far in his career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take St. Louis (-295)

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