The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to face off against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 5, 2025, with Carmen Mlodzinski taking the mound for the Pirates against Miles Mikolas for the Cardinals. Pittsburgh is struggling with a current record of 12-23, having lost four consecutive games, including a sweep by San Diego over the weekend. In contrast, St. Louis, with a record of 16-19, recently took two out of three games against the New York Mets, providing them with a slight momentum boost.

The matchup will take place at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, starting at 7:45 PM EST. The latest betting odds indicate the Cardinals are favored on the moneyline at -149, while the Pirates are positioned at +125. The spread is set at 1.5 runs in favor of the Cardinals, and the total runs expected for the game is 8.0.

Pitching stats show Mlodzinski has struggled this season, holding an ERA of 6.58. In his last outing, he pitched four innings, allowing two earned runs. Mikolas, on the other hand, has a 4.66 ERA and recently pitched 5.1 innings without allowing any earned runs, showcasing his potential to contain a struggling Pirates lineup.

Experts are leaning towards Oneil Cruz to steal a base, as he was the MLB's stolen bases leader until recently. Despite drawing walks and opportunities to run, he hasn't been caught in his last 34 attempts, making him a player to watch in this divisional matchup.