Pirates Host Cardinals in a Late-Season Battle That Still Matters

Pittsburgh enters Wednesday's 6:40 PM ET clash at PNC Park sitting at 80-77, with real incentive to keep winning down the stretch. St. Louis, at 76-81, is playing out the string — but that doesn't mean they'll roll over.

The records tell the story of where these two franchises are right now. Pittsburgh has something to play for; St. Louis is in damage-control mode with a losing record and a season that hasn't gone according to plan. That asymmetry in motivation is worth noting heading into this one, even if baseball has a way of ignoring narrative convenience.

On the mound, Matthew Liberatore is expected to start for the Cardinals, while Lake Bachar is set to take the mound for Pittsburgh. Neither name inspires fear in opposing lineups, which means the offenses could have real say in how this one unfolds. For St. Louis, the offensive identity runs through Alec Burleson — hitting .280 with a team-leading 111 RBI — and Jordan Walker, who has slugged 28 home runs on the year. Burleson's RBI total is legitimately impressive and suggests he's been one of the more productive run-producers in the National League regardless of team context. Walker's power is real, and PNC Park's dimensions don't make him any less dangerous.

Pittsburgh counters with Brandon Lowe as its most dangerous bat — 33 home runs and 93 RBI make him the clear power anchor in this lineup. Nick Gonzales brings a different kind of threat, hitting .302 and giving the Pirates a legitimate contact option at the top or middle of the order. Lowe's home run total edges Walker's by five, and that gap in raw power could be the difference if the starting pitching on both sides struggles to go deep. As for a model read on this game — we don't have one to offer tonight, and we're not going to manufacture conviction where there isn't any. Watch Lowe against Liberatore and see if Pittsburgh's home-field edge translates into early damage.