Pirates Look to End Scoreless Drought in Cardinals Series

The Pittsburgh Pirates arrive in a crucial series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium desperate to snap an offensive skid.

Pittsburgh got shutout in back-to-back games to end the series vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park, both 6-0 defeats, and hasn't scored a run since the 10th inning of the series opener on May 15.

That drought now stands at 18 consecutive scoreless innings after the Pirates were shut out in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s losses to complete a disastrous weekend series against their Keystone state rivals.

It's a big time chance for the Pirates to bounce back, but they won't have one of their best hitters for it.

Pirates Missing Key Slugger vs. Cardinals

The lack of production is particularly poorly timed. First baseman Ryan O’Hearn was placed on the injured list with a quad injury on Sunday, and according to general manager Ben Cherington is expected to miss several weeks.

This removes a steady veteran and one of the best bats from a lineup that has shown marked improvement over last season.

May 14, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Ryan O'Hearn (29) hits a single against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

O'Hearn has cooled off since a scorching hot April, but still carries a 131 wRC+ according to FanGraphs.

Put simpler, he's been 31% better than the average MLB hitter this season. Anybody who watched the 2025 Pirates and this year's version has seen how big of an impact the free agent addition has had on the lineup. He will undoubtedly be missed for the foreseeable future.

Pirates Must Get Back to Winning

Meanwhile, ace Paul Skenes looked far from his dominant self on Sunday, surrendering five runs in his outing. But does anybody expect him not to bounce back in his next start?

While the right-hander’s rare off day is still a slight concern, the greater worry for Pittsburgh is an offense that cannot afford to spiral given the unforgiving nature of the National League Central this season.

May 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) reacts after striking out Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (not pictured) during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Every team in the division currently owns a record above .500, leaving little room for prolonged slumps.

The Cardinals (27-19) are looking like a legit playoff contender in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season. You can never count out this organization, something they've proven again to be true in 2026. Pittsburgh was swept by St. Louis in a four-game series at the end of April.

The Password = The Answer?

In an effort to inject immediate life into the order, the Pirates are expected to call up slugging prospect Jhostynxon Garcia.

Acquired from the Boston Red Sox during the offseason, Garcia brings raw power and a promising bat that the club hopes can provide a jolt.

Mar 1, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Jhostynxon Garcia (34) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

He led all Red Sox minor leaguers with 21 home runs in 2025, and already has six long bombs this season. Garcia had a three home run game for AAA Indianapolis last week.

His promotion coupled with O'Hearn's injury comes at a critical juncture. The Pirates will need more than just Garcia to break through, but ending the scoreless streak is the first step towards any divisional climb.

Key Stats

Scoreless in Steel City: Pirates have not scored a run since 10th inning of Friday's game vs Phillies
Birds of Contact: 38 strikeouts for Cardinals hitters is third best in MLB over last seven days
The Pirates and Cardinals have met a total of 240 times. The Pirates lead the series 1281-1233-24.

St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker and designated hitter Ivan Herrera — May 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) is congratulated by designated hitter Iván Herrera (48) after hitting a two run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Probable Pitchers & Matchups

Game 1: May 19, 7:45 PM at Busch Stadium

PIT: RHP Mitch Keller (4-2, 3.59 ERA, 38 K)
STL: LHP Matthew Liberatore (2-2, 4.40 ERA, 34 K)
Key Battle: Keller vs Cardinals 3B Nolan Gorman (.240 AVG, .961 OPS, 3 HR, 7 RBI in 25 career AB against Keller)

Game 2: May 20, 7:45 PM at Busch Stadium

PIT: RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (3-3, 4.40 ERA, 43 K)
STL: RHP Michael McGreevy (2-2, 2.10 ERA, 36 K)
Key Battle: McGreevy vs Pirates 1B Spencer Horwitz (1-for-2, 1 HR, 2 RBI in two career AB against McGreevy)

Game 3: May 21, 1:15 PM at Busch Stadium

PIT: RHP Braxton Ashcraft (2-2, 3.09 ERA, 56 K)
STL: RHP Dustin May (3-4, 4.81 ERA, 35 K)
Key Battle: May vs Pirates OF Oneil Cruz (1-for-3, 1 HR in three career AB against May)

Players to Watch

SP Mitch Keller (PIT): Allowed season high six earned runs in last start against Colorado
OF Oneil Cruz (PIT): .292/.346/.763, 7 H, 3 2B, 3 RBI over last seven days
OF Jordan Walker (STL): .308 AVG, 2 HR, 5 RBI over last seven days
SP Michael McGreevy (STL): Has recorded four straight quality starts. Six of nine starts this season have been quality starts.

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