In the world of sports betting, placing a wager on whether a team will achieve a no-hitter in a single game is an option at many sportsbooks. For instance, FanDuel offers this at odds of +30000. While I wouldn’t typically advise taking that bet, there’s a genuine possibility that Pirates’ star pitcher Paul Skenes might secure his first MLB no-hitter this Thursday. He’s set to face off against the St. Louis Cardinals, a team that has occasionally puzzled him. Given Skenes’ recent winning streak as the reigning NL Cy Young Award holder, it’s not out of the question. The game kicks off at 12:35 PM ET at PNC Park.

Cardinals-Pirates BetRivers parlay (+112)

My confidence in Skenes (4-1, 2.48 ERA) has grown significantly, especially after learning about his recent antics. Ahead of Monday’s matchup against the Cardinals, he organized a bounce house event as part of a late celebration for Pirates’ rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, who celebrated his 20th birthday last Friday. This playful gesture only adds to his appeal.

Currently the +180 favorite to secure another NL Cy Young, Skenes had a notably rough start to the season against the New York Mets. That performance looks even worse now given the Mets’ struggles. However, he’s since found his rhythm. Over his last five starts, he has conceded only three runs and 10 hits, striking out 29 batters and walking five, resulting in a stellar 0.95 ERA. The Pirates have been backing him with solid runs, winning four out of those five games.

Why bring up the possibility of a no-hitter? Just last Friday in Milwaukee, Skenes held the Brewers hitless for 6.2 perfect innings before Jake Bauers broke the spell with a single. This performance ranks as the third-longest perfect game bid by a Pirates pitcher in the expansion era, dating back to 1961.

Skenes concluded that game with an impressive seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, striking out seven, and walking none. At just 23 years old, he became only the sixth pitcher in Pirates’ modern history, since 1901, to achieve at least seven scoreless innings with one or fewer hits allowed, alongside seven strikeouts and no walks.

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He enters today with a 16-inning scoreless streak, and Skenes’ 2.01 ERA through his first 61 MLB starts is the lowest by any pitcher through his first 60 during the Live Ball Era (since 1920). The SportsLine Projection Model has him at 5.4 innings on Thursday, with 6.1 strikeouts, 3.9 hits allowed, 1.4 earned runs and 1.2 walks.

“I think sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he came up two years ago, and he’s in his third season in the big leagues,” manager Don Kelly said. “He’s continuing to get better, which is amazing considering what he’s already done in the game. To put Opening Day behind him and pitch the way that he’s pitched since just speaks to who he is.”

Pittsburgh, if you were wondering, has never had a perfect game – Harvey Haddix famously came up short in extra innings in 1959. The franchise’s last no-hitter was a combined effort in 1997 and the last by an individual was via John Candelaria on Aug. 9, 1976.

Skenes would surely settle for just a win today, as he’s 0-4 in six career starts vs. the Cardinals despite a 2.39 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 37.2 innings. St. Louis is the only team he has faced at least three times that Skenes doesn’t have a win against. 

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Thursday will be the season and Cardinals debut for right-hander Hunter Dobbins. The 26-year-old went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA in 13 appearances (11 starts, 61.0 innings) in 2025 as a rookie with Boston but tore his right ACL during a fielding play last July. The Red Sox shipped him to the Cardinals in the offseason among the trade package for Willson Contreras. Over five Triple-A starts this season, Dobbins was 3-0 with a 4.37 ERA. He hasn’t faced Pittsburgh.

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The best of the best in the sports world often manufacture motivation. I’m quite sure that Skenes knows he hasn’t beaten the division-rival Cardinals yet, and his Bucs are trying to avoid an embarrassing four-game home sweep. Will take -1 instead of a -240 money line for a better parlay price. Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter.