Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction, 4/14/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: Friday, April 14, 2023

Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

TV: Bally Sports Midwest

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+145) St. Louis (-170)

Busch Stadium is the site where the St. Louis Cardinals (5-7) will meet the Pittsburgh Pirates (7-5) on Friday. The line on this contest has the Pirates at +145 while the Cardinals are sitting at -170. The betting total is set at 9. The expected starting pitchers are Johan Oviedo and Jake Woodford.

The Pirates have earned 20 doubles as a team and have knocked 15 balls out of the park. Pittsburgh has a slugging % of .405 and have struck out 98 times, while drawing a walk on 45 occasions. As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are putting up 4.3 runs per game, which is 23rd in MLB. They have accounted for 49 runs batted in as well as 89 hits this season, and their team batting average sits at .228. They have notched a total of 51 runs and hold an OBP of .309.

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The Pirates have a team earned run average of 4.92 on the season (21st in the league), and their staff has rung up 92 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 46 players from the other team and their FIP is 5.11 as a squad this year. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.00 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.44. Pirates pitchers have given up 17 long balls in addition to 60 runs in total (16th in MLB).

The Pirates relief pitchers have a save percentage of 85.7% and stepped onto the hill in 19 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 16 runners for the year with 18.8% of those players ended up crossing the plate. Pirates pitchers have stepped onto the hill with opponents on base 10 times in addition to having 11 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have sent 38 relievers to the mound on the season. The relief pitchers have a total of 11 holds this season (6th in baseball). They have recorded 6 saves on the year and have blown 1 of 7 chances to get a save.

The Pirates have converted 70.0% of balls in play into outs out of their 954 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 10th in baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates are sitting with 318 putouts thus far, in addition to 100 assists and 5 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .988 which is 11th in MLB, and they have twisted 8 double plays.

Oviedo has taken the mound for 154 innings and has earned 130 punch outs in his career. Oviedo (5-11 career win-loss mark) has earned a FIP of 4.80 while he has gone up against 692 batters in the majors. His earned run average is 4.26 (73 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.419. He has allowed 145 base hits (8.5 hits per nine innings) with 74 walks.

The St. Louis Cardinals have accounted for an on-base percentage of .355 in addition to a team batting average of .284 so far this year. They have struck out on 93 instances (26th in the league) and have 119 base knocks. St. Louis has compiled 16 long balls this season to go along with 55 RBIs. The Cardinals hold a team slugging % of .446 and they score 4.67 runs per game (15th in the league). They have hit 18 doubles, while getting a free base 44 times as well as putting up 56 runs.

The Cardinals hold a team WHIP of 1.543 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.19 as a unit this season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 2.66 (109 strikeouts vs 41 free passes). They are currently ranked 30th in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 121. They have given up 13 homers and they concede 5.06 runs per 9 innings (17th in MLB). The St. Louis pitching staff have surrendered 59 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 4.89 (57 earned runs surrendered).

St. Louis has had bullpen pitchers enter the game in 6 save chances and they have converted 3 saves. They are ranked 23rd in the league with a save percentage of 50.0%, and they have dispatched 40 relief pitchers to the mound this season. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 9 times in high leverage situations and on 13 occasions with base runners. St. Louis relief pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 21.1% of 19 inherited runners. Sitting with 12 save situations, the Cardinals have earned 6 holds and 3 blown saves.

The St. Louis Cardinals have turned 14 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .991 (7th in professional baseball). The Cardinals have accrued 117 assists, 4 errors and have amassed 315 putouts so far this season. Out of their 945 innings on the field, the Cardinals have a defensive efficiency of 63.2% (30th in pro baseball).

Woodford (8-6 mark in his career) is the owner of a 3.95 ERA while conceding 8.8 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.18 and he has faced 609 batters during his career. He has allowed 64 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.281 and having a FIP of 4.7. During his pro baseball career, Woodford has allowed 142 base hits while he has totaled 98 strikeouts in 146 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+145)

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