St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates 9/10/22 - MLB Picks & Predictions

The Pittsburgh Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals for the second game of a three-game series Sept. 10. The Cardinals led the season series 8-2 entering play Friday.

Righthander JT Brubaker is scheduled to make his 26th start for the Pirates. His record is 3-11 with a 4.35 earned run average over 132.1 innings. Brubaker has struck out 137 and walked 49. He has faced the Cardinals on the road twice this season, losing both times. He lasted just three innings in the season opener April 7, allowing four earned runs. Brubaker pitched 5.1 innings June 14 and gave up two earned runs, but Pittsburgh lost 3-1.     

St. Louis righthander Jack Flaherty is set to make his second start since returning from the injured list Sept. 5 against the Washington Nationals. He pitched five innings and gave up just one run but took the loss as the Cardinals were shut out 6-0. Flaherty allowed six hits and one walk while striking out six. He faced the Pirates in the first of his three starts before hitting the IL in late June, going just three innings and allowing three earned runs June 14.

Centerfielder Bryan Reynolds and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes are the Pirates top hitters, but neither has hit particularly well. Reynolds leads the team with 21 home runs, 59 runs scored and 49 runs batted in while hitting .255 with an on-base percentage of .335 and a slugging percentage of .446. Hayes has hit .241 with a .311 OBP and .343 SLG.

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt leads the Cardinals in almost every offense category. The St. Louis slugger has hit .328 with a .416 on-base percentage and .613 slugging percentage in 491 at bats. Goldschmidt also leads the team with 161 hits, 301 total bases, 35 home runs, 99 runs scored and 109 runs batted in.  Third baseman Nolan Arenado has been nearly as good as Goldschmidt this season, hitting .300 with a .362 OBP and .552 SLG. His state line is 28 HR, 67 R and 90 RBI.