MLB Prop Bets: St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates (May 20, 2026)
The Pittsburgh Pirates (24-24) face the St. Louis Cardinals (28-19) at Busch Stadium on Wednesday at 7:45pm (ET). Let's take a look at the MLB Prop Bets for the matchup. Carmen Mlodzinski is the probable pitcher for the Pirates, while Michael McGreevy is the probable pitcher for the Cardinals. The Cardinals are favored to win at -122, while the Pirates are at +101. The total runs line is set at 7.5, with OVER at -117 and UNDER at -103.
- The Pirates (+164) have a 24-24 Run Line record this season, while the Cardinals (-200) hold a record of 31-16.
- The Pirates have a 25-22-1 O/U record this season (meaning 25 games have gone over the total runs line, 22 have gone under and one has resulted in a push). The Cardinals have a 21-24-2 O/U record.
Scoring Insights
- The Pirates are averaging 4.9 runs per game this season (7th in the league). Comparatively, the Cardinals are averaging 4.6 (9th).
- In the field, the Pirates are allowing 4.6 runs per game this season (21st in the league), while the Cardinals are allowing an average of 4.5 runs (16th).
Let's take a look at how these teams perform in some other key statistical areas.
Batting Insights:
Batting Average
- Looking at their batting averages this season, the Pirates are at .250 (ranking 4th in the Major leagues), while the Cardinals are batting .242 (15th).
Home Runs
- In terms of total home runs this season, the Cardinals have hit 55 (11th in the Major Leagues). Meanwhile, the Pirates have managed 49 (17th).
Runs Batted In
- Finally, looking at their runs batted in, the Pirates have recorded 224 RBIs to rank 6th in the MLB this season. Comparatively, the Cardinals have recorded 210 RBIs to rank 11th.
Pitching Insights:
Earned Run Average
- The Cardinals have an earned run average of 4.15 this season (17th in the Majors), while The Pirates have an ERA of 3.97 (12th).
Strikeouts
- Turning our attention to total strikeouts, the Pirates have recorded 428 this season, ranking T8th in the MLB. Meanwhile, the Cardinals rank 29th for total strikeouts, recording 343.
Opponent Batting Average
- Opponents are batting an average of .253 against the Cardinals this season (24th in the Major Leagues). Comparatively, the Pirates' opponents are at .227 (7th).
First Innings Moneyline
- Here are their first innings moneyline records in 2026.
| Total | Home | Road | Favorite | Underdog | Neutral | Last 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates | 16-6-26 | 9-4-13 | 7-2-13 | 11-3-13 | 5-3-13 | 0-0-0 | 3-1-6 |
| Cardinals | 8-9-30 | 3-4-17 | 5-5-13 | 1-3-2 | 7-6-28 | 0-0-0 | 2-2-6 |
Lead After Three Innings
- Here are their records after the first three innings in 2026.
| Total | Home | Road | Favorite | Underdog | Neutral | Last 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates | 22-12-14 | 14-5-7 | 8-7-7 | 16-5-6 | 6-7-8 | 0-0-0 | 5-2-3 |
| Cardinals | 19-14-14 | 11-6-7 | 8-8-7 | 3-2-1 | 16-12-13 | 0-0-0 | 3-2-5 |
NRFI/YRFI
- The NRFI is 25-23 in Pirates games this season. The Cardinals have a 25-22 NRFI record.
Last Time They Met
The Cardinals recorded a 9-6 extra innings victory over the Pirates at Busch Stadium yesterday. JJ Wetherholt was unstoppable in that matchup, hitting a home run, a single and recording 2 RBIs. The Cardinals have now won six straight against the Pirates.
