Jun 23, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) makes his way in from the bullpen to pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
- Paul Skenes makes his first post-All-Star Game start on Tuesday against St Louis
- The Cardinals counter with veteran righty Lance Lynn
- See the St Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates odds, predictions, and best player props to bet for July 23
Sensational rookie Paul Skenes takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates (51-49, 25-25 home) on Tuesday as the Bucs host the St Louis Cardinals (52-48, 26-26 away) at PNC Park at 6:40 pm ET in the second of a three-game set.
Facing St Louis veteran Lance Lynn, Pittsburgh is a sizable favorite in Tuesday’s Cardinals vs Pirates odds.
St Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Louis Cardinals | +154 | +1.5 (-135) | Over 7.5 (-120) |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | -185 | -1.5 (+114) | Under 7.5 (-100) |
The Pirates are -185 on the moneyline in Tuesday’s MLB odds with the Redbirds coming back at +154. On the runline, Pittsburgh is priced at +114 to win by multiple runs.
The run total is sitting at just 7.5 but with the over favored at -120.
Odds as of July 23 at DraftKings. Claim a bonus from the best MLB betting apps today.
The Pirates won the opening game of the series on Monday, taking a 2-1 decision on the back of a seven-inning gem from Mitch Keller.
With the win, Pittsburgh moved within half a game of the Mets for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League, and within one game of the Cardinals, who hold the second Wild Card.
St Louis and Pittsburgh are five and six games back of Milwaukee, respectively, for the NL Central lead. The Cardinals are currently +500 to win the Central in the MLB division odds with the Pirates way back at +1700.
Lance Lynn vs Paul Skenes
| 5-4 | Record | 6-0 |
| 4.39 | ERA | 1.90 |
| 4.91 | xERA | 2.61 |
| 1.39 | WHIP | 0.92 |
| 21.6% | K% | 34.9% |
Tuesday will be Skenes’ second career start against the Cardinals. Skenes, the runaway favorite in the NL Rookie of the Year odds, held St Louis scoreless over 6.1 innings back on June 11 during a 2-1 Pittsburgh victory. The rookie righty racked up eight Ks while allowing just five hits and no walks.
Skenes’ final start before the All-Star break was his best yet, pitching a seven-inning no-hitter with 11 Ks and just one walk in a 1-0 win over the Brewers.
He doesn’t have enough innings to qualify for the MLB leaderboards but, if he did, Skenes would sit first in ERA (1.90), second in strikeout percentage (34.9%), and tied for second in WHIP (0.92). He’s already third in the NL Cy Young odds behind Chris Sale and Zack Wheeler.
After wasting a solid effort from Andre Pallante yesterday (6.0 IP, 3H, 1R), the Cardinals will be hoping for another decent outing from Lynn. There’s been more good than bad this year from the two-time All-Star, and he entered the break on a relatively high note, going 6.0 innings in an 11-3 win over the Cubs, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
The outing previous, however, was arguably the worst of his career. Lynn allowed 11 runs (ten earned) in just 2.2 innings against the Nationals, giving up nine hits and four walks. With that outing doing the bulk of the damage, the 37-year-old now has a 5.36 ERA on the road this season.
In his first start against Pittsburgh this year, Lynn lasted 4.1 innings, giving up three runs on four hits and three walks with five Ks.
Cardinals vs Pirates Predictions & Picks
Despite having just 11 career starts on his resume, it already feels fair to say that Skenes is the most dominant pitcher in the league today. And the scariest part is that he’s getting better. He hasn’t suffered a loss yet in his nascent career and I don’t expect him to take his first on Tuesday.
Lynn, who finished top-six in Cy Young voting from 2019 to 2021, is still capable of solid outings, so I’m not going to go overboard backing the Pirates, but there are a trio of Skenes-centric props I’m taking, including a massive +2100 longshot on Skenes to throw five hit-less innings.
STL vs PIT picks:
- Pirates to score first (-125 at DraftKings)
- Skenes under 4.5 hits allowed (-110 at DraftKings)
- Skenes to throw a no-hitter through 5.0 innings (+2100 at FanDuel)
Sascha has been working in the sports-betting industry since 2014, and quickly paired his strong writing skills with a burgeoning knowledge of probability and statistics. He holds an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.
The St. Louis Cardinals will be facing off against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 23rd in what is sure to be an exciting matchup. Both teams have been performing well this season, making it difficult to predict the outcome of the game. However, with the help of betting odds, predictions, and player props, we can get a better idea of what to expect.
Starting pitchers Lance Lynn for the Cardinals and Chad Kuhl for the Pirates will be taking the mound for their respective teams. Lynn has been having a solid season so far, with a 9-4 record and a 2.80 ERA. Kuhl, on the other hand, has a 3-6 record and a 4.85 ERA. Based on these stats, Lynn is the favorite to come out on top in this pitching matchup.
In terms of betting odds, the Cardinals are currently favored to win the game with odds of -150, while the Pirates have odds of +130. This means that a $150 bet on the Cardinals would yield a $100 profit if they win, while a $100 bet on the Pirates would yield a $130 profit if they pull off the upset.
As for player props, there are a few key players to keep an eye on in this matchup. Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has been on fire recently, hitting .290 with 18 home runs and 53 RBIs. He is a solid pick for a prop bet on hitting a home run in this game. On the Pirates side, outfielder Bryan Reynolds has been a consistent performer, hitting .302 with 16 home runs and 54 RBIs. He is another good option for a prop bet on hitting a home run.
Overall, this matchup between the Cardinals and Pirates is shaping up to be a close one. With Lynn on the mound for the Cardinals and Kuhl for the Pirates, it could go either way. However, based on betting odds and player props, the Cardinals have a slight edge in this game. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out on July 23rd.
