The Pittsburgh Pirates return to PNC Park on Monday looking to regroup and regain footing as they host the surging St. Louis Cardinals, entering the matchup with a 35–50 record and having dropped five of their last seven home games against the spread, which underscores their ongoing struggles in front of their home fans. Despite flashes of promise from young talents like Oneil Cruz and steady veteran leadership from Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates have found it difficult to string together consistent performances, particularly when it comes to producing runs in key situations and maintaining stability on the mound. Cruz has remained a bright spot in the lineup, showing off his power and elite athleticism, while McCutchen recently made franchise history by passing Roberto Clemente on Pittsburgh’s all-time home run list—yet milestones alone haven’t been enough to reverse the team’s fortunes. Andrew Heaney, who will start Monday’s game, brings a 3–7 record and a 4.48 ERA into the contest and will be tasked with keeping a disciplined Cardinals lineup in check, something that will require both command and early control to avoid falling behind quickly. Heaney has struggled to avoid big innings this year, and against a St. Louis team that excels at working counts and capitalizing on mistakes, he’ll need to be sharp from the outset or risk another early exit.

Offensively, Pittsburgh has labored near the bottom of the league in runs per game, often relying on sporadic bursts rather than sustained rallies, and that inefficiency has cost them in winnable games where timely hitting would have made the difference. The supporting cast around Cruz and McCutchen has been inconsistent, with players like Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes showing flashes but lacking the week-to-week production needed to drive winning streaks. Defensively, the Pirates have a .982 fielding percentage, ranking near the bottom of MLB, and defensive lapses have often compounded pitching issues, making it even tougher to stay competitive in close games. The bullpen, while featuring capable arms like David Bednar, has been overworked at times and put in difficult positions due to short outings by starters, which has exposed depth issues and contributed to several late-game collapses. Manager Derek Shelton continues to focus on player development and instilling fundamentals, but with a season now deep into its second half, the need to turn progress into results is more urgent than ever, especially against a divisional opponent like the Cardinals. To pull off a win, Pittsburgh will need Heaney to go at least six innings with minimal damage, the offense to cash in early chances, and the defense to play a clean game—all tall tasks, but not impossible given the parity in baseball and the pressure now on St. Louis to maintain their standing. For the Pirates, playing spoiler to a division rival could be just the motivation needed to spark a more competitive stretch, and Monday provides the kind of opportunity that could either kick off a turnaround or deepen the frustration of a season gone sideways.