August 25, 2025

Game Preview

Written by: Ryan Chen

Ryan combines advanced statistics with traditional scouting to identify profitable betting opportunities.

Pirates vs Cardinals: Betting Preview & Props (Aug 25)

Last updated: August 25, 2025

Game Time: 8/25, 07:45PM

Matchup Setup

The Pittsburgh Pirates travel to face the St. Louis Cardinals in a National League Central matchup. The Cardinals, with a -144 favorite line, have 82% of bets backing them against the Pirates, who enter as +119 underdogs. This game presents intriguing pitcher-batter duels and potential prop bets to exploit.

Pitching Preview

Pitching Matchup: Johan Oviedo (PIT) vs Michael McGreevy (STL)

Johan Oviedo (PIT):

Oviedo brings a diverse pitch mix with a heavy reliance on his Four-Seam Fastball (44% usage, 94.9 mph) and Slider (37% usage, 86.9 mph). Complementing his arsenal are the Curveball (10% usage, 77.6 mph), Sinker (7% usage, 95.1 mph), and Changeup (2% usage, 87.1 mph). Oviedo is a velocity-heavy pitcher, leveraging speed and movement to challenge hitters. The Cardinals lineup averages .244 this season with a projected xBA of .244 vs Oviedo's arsenal.

Michael McGreevy (STL):

McGreevy showcases a balanced pitch mix with his Four-Seam Fastball (26% usage, 93.0 mph) and Sweeper (22% usage, 83.6 mph) leading the way. He also utilizes a Sinker (21% usage, 91.8 mph), Cutter (11% usage, 88.6 mph), Curveball (10% usage, 79.2 mph), Changeup (9% usage, 88.2 mph), and an occasional Slider (1% usage, 84.5 mph). The Pirates lineup averages .232 this season but projects to .240 vs McGreevy's arsenal.

Batting Edges vs Arsenal

Lineup Matchups & Batting Edges

For Pirates vs McGreevy:

The Pirates lineup averages .232 this season but projects to .240 vs McGreevy's arsenal.
Bryan Reynolds: Season BA .244 → xBA vs arsenal .302 (+58 points), Season K% 26.7% → Arsenal K% 24.3% (-2.4%)
Spencer Horwitz: Season BA .256 → xBA vs arsenal .222 (-34 points), Season K% 19.5% → Arsenal K% 24.5% (+5.0%)

For Cardinals vs Oviedo:

The Cardinals lineup averages .256 this season but projects to .244 vs Oviedo's arsenal.
Iván Herrera: Season BA .279 → xBA vs arsenal .210 (-69 points), Season K% 20.8% → Arsenal K% 24.9% (+4.1%)

Strikeout Trends

Strikeout Risks & Rewards

The Pirates' projected K-rate is 22.2% vs McGreevy — up 0.5% from their 21.7% season average.
The Cardinals' projected K-rate is 23.4% vs Oviedo — up 2.1% from their 21.3% season average.

Plate Umpire Analysis

Behind the Plate: Umpire assignment has not been announced, which makes prop volatility a concern.

What to Bet On

📢 Prop Alert: Bryan Reynolds (.244 → .302, +58 points) meets betting lean criteria!

⚡ K Prop Alert: No significant statistical edges meet our betting threshold in this matchup.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Bryan Reynolds offers a significant batting advantage against McGreevy, meeting our prop criteria.
No substantial pitcher strikeout prop opportunities due to insufficient K-rate increases.
Umpire assignment is unknown, adding uncertainty to prop bets.
Overall, backing Bryan Reynolds for a batting prop looks promising.

🧠 FAQs

Q: Who is the best betting prop for the Pirates vs Cardinals game? A: Bryan Reynolds, with a significant projected xBA increase against McGreevy, is a strong candidate.

Q: Is the umpire a pitcher-friendly umpire? A: Umpire assignment is TBA, so tendencies are currently unknown.

Q: What time is the Pirates vs Cardinals game? A: 8/25, 07:45PM

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