Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Prediction – 8/26/2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals will do battle in NL Central competition on Tuesday night. The Cardinals won the first game of this series in an exciting 7-6 game and they will look for another key victory in this contest. Before the action gets started in this rivalry game, keep reading to get my Pirates vs Cardinals prediction.
Our Pirates vs Cardinals Pick
- Pick: Over 8.5
- Confidence: 3/5
- Claim Your Bonus Bets: Click the Claim Bonus button below to claim our DraftKings Sportsbook promo. You can bet $5 and get $300 in bonus bets INSTANTLY and over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket!
Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets Instantly + Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+ 
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Promo Code: Click To Claim
Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets Instantly + Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Promo Code: Click To Claim
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals
- Date & Time: Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 7:45 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers: Mitch Keller (5-12, 4.34 ERA) vs Andre Pallante (6-11, 5.17 ERA)
- Stadium: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
- Broadcast: FDSMW and SportsNet PT
Key Storylines
Pitching matchup
Mitch Keller enters this start with a season ERA of 4.34 and a WHIP of 1.31. He’s had a rough August where he has a 9.00 ERA and a .359 batting average against over his last four starts. Andre Pallante’s 5.17 ERA and 1.41 WHIP are unimpressive. But Keller’s struggles could give St. Louis the edge on the mound in this contest.
Key Players
The bullpens on both sides will be important to the outcome of this game. The Pirates went with Andrew Heaney in relief in yesterday’s game and that plan backfired spectacularly. St. Louis’ bullpen leaked some runs last night as well. The team that performs better in the bullpen in this game will give their team the inside track to a win tonight.
Recent team streaks
- The Cardinals ended a two-game losing streak with a win over the Pirates last night.
- Pittsburgh saw their four-game winning streak come to an end with Monday’s loss to the Cards.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Willson Contreras | Over 0.5 Home Runs |
| Alec Burleson | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
| Bryan Reynolds | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The season series between the Cardinals and Pirates is tied 5-5 going into this game.
- The first game of this series saw 13 total runs scored and went well over the total.
- St. Louis is 17-17 against NL Central opponents this year.
- The Pirates are 15-25 against teams from the NL Central.
Pirates vs Cardinals Model Projection
Score Projection: Cardinals 5 – Pirates 4
Win Probability: Cardinals 60%, Pirates 40%
Final Thoughts
The starting pitchers on both sides of this game have been inconsistent going into this contest. Keller is struggling mightily for the Pirates and Pallante has been a roller coaster throughout the year on the St. Louis side. I think these pitchers make it hard to back either of these teams to win tonight. Instead, I recommend taking the over as we should get at least nine runs in this game.
