MLB Prop Bets: St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates (May 21, 2026)
The Pittsburgh Pirates (25-24) face the St. Louis Cardinals (28-20) at Busch Stadium on Thursday at 1:15pm (ET). Let's take a look at the MLB Prop Bets for the matchup. Braxton Ashcraft is the probable pitcher for the Pirates, while Dustin May is the probable pitcher for the Cardinals. The Pirates are favored to win at -131, while the Cardinals are at +109. The total runs line is set at 7.5, with OVER at -108 and UNDER at -111.
- The Pirates (+130) have a 25-24 Run Line record this season, while the Cardinals (-157) hold a record of 31-17.
- The Pirates have a 25-23-1 O/U record this season (meaning 25 games have gone over the total runs line, 23 have gone under and one has resulted in a push). The Cardinals have a 21-25-2 O/U record.
Scoring Insights
- The Pirates are averaging 4.9 runs per game this season (6th in the league). Comparatively, the Cardinals are averaging 4.5 (11th).
- In the field, the Pirates are allowing 4.5 runs per game this season (16th in the league), while the Cardinals are allowing an average of 4.5 runs (18th).
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 .252 (ranking 4th in the Major leagues), while the Cardinals are batting .240 (16th).
Home Runs
- In terms of total home runs this season, the Cardinals have hit 55 (T12th in the Major Leagues). Meanwhile, the Pirates have managed 50 (17th).
Runs Batted In
- Finally, looking at their runs batted in, the Pirates have recorded 231 RBIs to rank 5th in the MLB this season. Comparatively, the Cardinals have recorded 210 RBIs to rank 14th.
Pitching Insights:
Earned Run Average
- The Cardinals have an earned run average of 4.21 this season (18th in the Majors), while The Pirates have an ERA of 3.89 (10th).
Strikeouts
- Turning our attention to total strikeouts, the Pirates have recorded 434 this season, ranking 10th in the MLB. Meanwhile, the Cardinals rank 30th for total strikeouts, recording 349.
Opponent Batting Average
- Opponents are batting an average of .256 against the Cardinals this season (26th in the Major Leagues). Comparatively, the Pirates' opponents are at .225 (7th).
First Innings Moneyline
- Here are their first innings moneyline records in 2026.
| Total | Home | Road | Favorite | Underdog | Neutral | Last 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates | 16-6-27 | 9-4-13 | 7-2-14 | 11-3-13 | 5-3-14 | 0-0-0 | 3-1-6 |
| Cardinals | 8-9-31 | 3-4-18 | 5-5-13 | 1-3-3 | 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 | 23-12-14 | 14-5-7 | 9-7-7 | 16-5-6 | 7-7-8 | 0-0-0 | 6-2-2 |
| Cardinals | 19-15-14 | 11-7-7 | 8-8-7 | 3-3-1 | 16-12-13 | 0-0-0 | 3-3-4 |
NRFI/YRFI
The NRFI market is paying -165 and the YRFI is paying +125.
- The NRFI is 26-23 in Pirates games this season. The Cardinals have a 26-22 NRFI record.
Last Time They Met
The Pirates recorded a 7-0 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium yesterday. Konnor Griffin led the way to that victory, hitting a home run. That result snapped the Cardinals' six-game winning streak against the Pirates.
