The Monday MLB schedule gets underway with a 1:05 p.m. ET first pitch at PNC Park as the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cardinals (1-3) struggled to get their bats going in an opening series against the Brewers. Pittsburgh (1-1), meanwhile, split its only two games this season against the Reds. Pittsburgh is the -130 favorite on the money line (risk $130 to win $100), with the over-under for total runs set at 7.5 in the latest Cardinals vs. Pirates odds. Before making any Cardinals vs. Pirates picks of your own for this Monday NL Central matinee, read the MLB predictions from the proven projection model at SportsLine. 

This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has raked in the winnings for those following its picks. The model has a proven track record of hitting its top picks in football, basketball, hockey and more. Anyone who has followed it is way up.

Now, the model has zeroed in on Cardinals vs. Pirates. We can tell you it is leaning over, and it also says one side of the money line has all the value You can only see that one at SportsLine.

The model has taken into account that, despite a slow start in the opening series, the Cardinals' lineup can do plenty of damage. The acquisition of All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the offseason has looked brilliant thus far. He's hitting .375 with four home runs and seven RBIs through four games.

The Cards will need better hitting from veterans like Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong, but they have a strong chance to get it on Monday against Pirates' starter Chris Archer. He was 3-3 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.36 WHIP for Pittsburgh last season after being acquired mid-season from the Rays. Archer was rocked in his only start against the Cardinals in 2018, giving up four walks and five runs (three earned) before being chased after 4.1 innings.

But just because St. Louis could put up runs doesn't mean it'll provide value on the Cardinals vs. Pirates money line.

That's because St. Louis is sending Adam Wainwright to the hill, a 37-year-old who has battled injuries and struggled to replicate his former ace-level production. His ERA has been above 4.40 the past three seasons, while his WHIP has been at least 1.40 every season during that span.

The Pirates got at least one hit from all but one starter in a 5-0 victory on Sunday. That balance from their lineup was impressive, as was the performance from the bullpen, which used three pitchers to shut the Reds down over the final three innings to preserve the victory. 

So who wins Pirates vs. Cardinals? And which side of the money line is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pirates vs. Cardinals money line to jump on Monday, all from the advanced model that simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, and find out.