Why Pirates' upcoming series against Cardinals is so crucial to 2024 season

After coming off a big series victory against the Phillies, the Pirates will finish their homestand with a three-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals. Pittsburgh is currently 8-2 in their last 10 games, which has gotten them within a half a game of a Wild Card spot and just seven games back of first place in the National League Central. This hot streak must continue against the Cardinals, which makes this one of the most important series during Derek Shelton's time in Pittsburgh.

What makes this series between the Pirates and Cardinals so important?

The Pirates need to take two out of three against the Cardinals. Doing so will likely put the Pirates into the third Wild Card spot, situating the team two games over .500. If they can pull off a sweep, that would put Pittsburgh into second place in the division, along with potentially handing them the second Wild Card spot. Ultimately, a sweep against the Cardinals would put the Pirates safely ahead in the playoff picture.

It is also very important to maximize as many wins as possible before the Pirates add players at the MLB trade deadline. Improving the roster will help the Pirates win down the stretch, but to be competitive down the stretch, they need to also win now. They have done just that over their last 20, as they have gone 13-7 during that stretch to prove their worth.

With that logic, every upcoming series is important, but the stakes of this series inside of the division and Wild Card race make this clash even more significant. The Pirates just need to win this series in order to either pass the Cardinals or get within a game or two. Cutting down the distance between the two teams for second place is extremely crucial as the season winds down.

Who will be pitching for the Pirates against the Cardinals?

As the Pirates look to stay hot, they will send out Mitch Keller in Game 1 against Andre Pallante. Keller is coming off a very poor start in Chicago, which could be the result of fatigue, which is why the Pirates held him back against the Phillies. They wanted him well rested for this big series (and to maintain his health in general). On the season, Keller has a 10-5 record with a 3.46 earned run average in 114.1 innings pitched, striking out 105 batters.

In Game 2, the Pirates will start rookie sensation Paul Skenes against Lance Lynn. Like Keller, Skenes needed a break after starting in the All-Star Game on four days' rest. The Pirates' front office is very strict about the workload on Skenes' arm because they need him to be healthy. On the season, Skenes has a 6-0 record with an earned run average of 1.90 in 66.1 innings pitched and has struck out 89 batters.

The Game 3 pitching matchups are undecided for both teams at this point, but it is likely the Pirates will send out Martin Perez after he started the opener against the Phillies. Perez has a 1-5 record with an earned run average of 5.61 in 77 innings pitched and has struck out 61 batters.

This series will not make or break the season, but at least taking two will greatly help the Pirates down the stretch. They have two stars on the mound, which will help the Pirates in this series. Let's see if Shelton can lead this team through this huge set.