The Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up another home date at PNC Park on Wednesday, September 23, welcoming the St. Louis Cardinals for a 6:40 PM ET first pitch. Lake Bachar gets the ball for Pittsburgh against Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore. With the regular season winding down, every game in this NL Central rivalry carries real weight. Catch the action on SportsNet Pittsburgh locally, or tune in on Sports Radio 93.7 KDKA The Fan if you're making the drive.
Pitching Matchup: Lake Bachar vs. Matthew Liberatore
Lake Bachar draws the start for the Pirates, giving the right-hander another opportunity to make his case down the stretch. Bachar has shown flashes of the stuff that got him to the big leagues, and a strong outing against a Cardinals lineup that has proven capable all season would be a meaningful statement. The Pirates need contributions from their young arms if this organization is going to build something worth watching into next year and beyond.
On the other side, Matthew Liberatore takes the hill for St. Louis. The left-hander has been part of the Cardinals' rotation conversation for a few seasons now, and a trip to Pittsburgh late in September is exactly the kind of spot where he'll want to show what he's made of. Left-handers have historically had some success working the zone at PNC Park, so the Pirates' lineup will need to come in with a disciplined approach.
Keys to Watch in Wednesday's Pirates-Cardinals Game
- Bachar's command: If Bachar can establish both sides of the plate early, he gives Pittsburgh a legitimate shot to keep this one close. Walks and free passes will kill any momentum in a hurry.
- Pittsburgh's offense vs. a left-hander: The Pirates' lineup construction matters here. How manager Derek Shelton sets the order against Liberatore will tell you a lot about where the team's confidence sits heading into the final days of the regular season.
- Bullpen depth: Late September means rosters are expanded and arms are available. How both teams manage their bullpens in a potential close game could decide this one as much as anything the starters do.
- Crowd energy at PNC Park: It's a weeknight game late in September, but Pirates fans who make it out to the North Shore deserve a competitive nine innings. The ballpark itself remains one of the best settings in baseball — the players should feed off that.
Prediction: Pirates vs. Cardinals, September 23, 2026
This one sets up as a genuine pitching duel, with two arms who have something to prove going head-to-head in a division rivalry. Bachar keeping the Cardinals to three runs or fewer gives Pittsburgh a real path to a win. The Pirates take this one at home, 4-2, with their lineup doing just enough damage against Liberatore in the middle innings to make it stand up.
