Pirates vs. Cardinals Prediction and Odds for Opening Day (Pittsburgh to Get Off on the Wrong Foot)

The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals clash on opening day in NL Central action. While new seasons always bring new opportunities, the Pirates might just be finding new ways to lose. Pittsburgh has the worst odds in the MLB to win the World Series at +50000. They also have the worst odds to win the NL Pennant at +20000.

With an expected win total of just 64, it's safe to say the Pirates are in line to be the worst team in baseball. I am not convinced by their 7-7 record in Spring Training of anything other than they had some preseason luck. I don’t see a world where they finish the regular season anywhere near .500. 

The Cardinals, on the other hand, are coming off a season where they made the playoffs but fell to the Dodgers in the Wild Card game. They have a strong lineup, decent rotation, and even brought back first-ballot Hall of Famer Albert Pujos for one last go-around. I have mixed feelings about where this team is headed, but they should be able to pick up an Opening Day win at least. 

Here are the odds for this NL Central clash, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook. 

Pirates vs. Cardinals Odds, Run Line, and Total

Run Line

• Pirates: +1.5 (-115)
• Cardinals: -1.5 (-105)

Moneyline:

• Pirates: +185
• Cardinals: -210

Total:

• Total 8 (Over -115/Under -105)

Pirates vs. Cardinals Prediction and Pick

The Pirates seem content with failure and did nothing to make their team better this offseason. At least this makes predicting the output from Pitt’s offense a bit easier. The 2021 Pirates were the 30th ranked team in terms of runs per game, bases per game, RBIs per game, and slugging percentage. Frankly, they were the worst offense in the MLB. Their pitching didn’t help in the least and posted an ERA of 5.08 and a combined WHIP of 1.44. So, the Pirates are the worst of both worlds. They can’t hit, and they can't pitch.  

Meanwhile, the Cardinals ranked in the top 15 in most major categories in 2021 and arguably got a bit better this offseason. But only slightly. The Cardinals are another team that was pretty dormant in free agency. Therefore we can glean some information from last year’s stats. What I see is an above-average team with potential.

Unless something drastically changes, I will be auto-fading the Pirates on the run line in most games, including this one. 

Pick: Cardinals -1.5 (-105)

Follow all of Matt De Saro’s betting picks HERE