The Cardinals are the only team that has kept Pittsburgh from winning the NL Central the past three seasons. The two are again primed for a run at the top of the loaded division and kick off their bitter rivalry on Opening Day.
You can bet on MLB odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Pittsburgh owned the second-best record in baseball last season, unfortunately the Pirates are in the same division as the team that had the top ledger. St. Louis was the only squad to reach 100 wins and was the most profitable team in the NL up 22.47 units.
Despite little change to their rosters during the offseason, the Cards and Pirates have taken a back seat to Chicago for division supremacy, at least according to oddsmakers. St. Louis at +295 and Pittsburgh at +459 are projected to finish behind the Cubs at the top of the NL Central.
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise considering both clubs were bounced from the 2015 playoffs by the upstart Cubbies. But St. Louis and Pittsburgh have been through the grind of playoff-like baseball for the past several seasons and have what it takes to again contend.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Adam Wainwright will make his first MLB start of any kind since last April when he takes the field on Sunday. Wano missed much of the 2015 season with an Achilles injury, though he did return to pitch out of the bullpen late in the season and finished with a 1.61 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in only 28 innings pitched.
The Pirates turn to Francisco Liriano for his third straight Opening Day start. The lefty went 12-7 with a 3.38 ERA in 186.2 innings across 31 starts last season.
Liriano started four times against the Cards last season, posting a 1-1 record and 3.71 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 26.2 frames. Three of his 15 home runs allowed were hit by St. Louis batters.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“Those at-bats in spring training, as much as you try to make them the same intensity, you can’t replicate once the lights come up and fans are in the stands 50,000 strong. Adrenaline you can’t fake. You can’t create that in spring.” – Adam Wainwright.
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
Keep close tabs on Wainwright, who pitched just 28 innings last season after dealing with an Achilles injury. He also struggled during the spring looking for consistency and control. His final Grapefruit League start was cut short by rain and he wasn’t as crisp as he would have liked to be in the limited innings. Pittsburgh is again expected to have a shutdown bullpen with closer Mark Melancon and eighth inning specialist Tony Watson. Those two have shortened many games for the starters the past few seasons. While it’s just the first game of the season, the Pirates want to get a jump on the Cards and manufacturing runs early against Wano will be a key.
PROP TALK
The Pirates have perhaps the best outfield in baseball with former NL MVP Andrew McCuthen leading the way. His average dropped below .300 last year for the first time in four seasons, but his power, on-base percentage and run production were all in line with his numbers from the previous three years. And while he’s been around for seven seasons now, let’s not forget that Cutch won’t turn 30 until after the season. He’s put together some fabulous seasons during his 20’s and he’s got one more to go. His 43 career at-bats off Wainwright are the fourth-most against any pitcher and Cutch has a .302 lifetime average with seven extra-base hits.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
These two will be competing for the NL Central title again with a division crown being a priority for the Pirates. Pittsburgh was forced into a one-game Wild Card playoff game the past two seasons and fell both times. Winning the division gives them a pass into the NLDS. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. This is the first of 162 games and the Pirates know the division isn’t won in April. But getting a win over their hated division counterpart in the opener could set the tone for the remaining 161 games.
Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 3
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. BookMaker is going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised baseball matchup. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, individual inning run totals and next hitter results. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates is scheduled for Sunday, April 3, 2016, at 1:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN.
