The Pittsburgh Pirates will head across the state to Citizens Bank Park to face the Philadelphia Phillies. The opening pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET and this NL matchup will be televised on either ATPT or NSPA.
Pittsburgh Pirates at Philadelphia Phillies Odds
Pittsburgh (+100) is entering this game as the underdog against Philadelphia (-110) and Vegas has the Over/Under for this night game at 7.5 runs. Odds for betting on the game’s total sit at -115 for the under and -105 for the over. Bettors can also wager on the game’s spread with the current runline odds sitting at -210 for the Pirates +1.5 runs and +175 for the Phillies -1.5 runs.
The Phillies are 10-7 SU and 6-10 ATS. The team has gained 3.2 units for bettors taking the moneyline while gaining 5.8 units against the spread (ATS). The Pirates, on the other hand, are 12-6 SU and have gone 9-8 ATS. Overall, the team’s gained 4.8 units for moneyline bettors in the season’s early going and 1.8 units ATS.
Phillies games have a 7-8-1 over/under record so far in 2018. The Pirates have an over/under record of 10-6-1.
Jameson Taillon will get the start for Pittsburgh. The right-handed Taillon is 2-0 with a 0.89 ERA and 18 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Phillies this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (1-0, 0.00 ERA and nine strikeouts over five innings).
The Phillies are putting the ball in the hands of righty Jake Arrieta (1-0, 3.38 ERA), who’s got six punchouts and four walks, as well as a WHIP of 1.31. Arrieta made five starts against the Pirates in 2017, posting a 1-3 record with a 4.07 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
As a unit, Philadelphia’s pitching staff has allowed 4.0 runs per game overall this season. The club’s starters have a 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.73 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 8.5 K/9.
The Philadelphia offense is putting up 5.2 runs per outing, including 4.9 per game over its last 10 games and 5.6 per game over its last five. The team has a slash-line of .240/.353/.351 over its last five contests and is 3-2 SU during that stretch.
Left fielder Rhys Hoskins and second baseman Cesar Hernandez have paced the Phillies’ hitters this year. Hoskins is slashing .327/.486/.577 with 17 hits, 13 RBIs and 12 runs scored, and Hernandez’s line is .271/.419/.407 with 16 hits, five RBIs and 13 runs scored.
In the other dugout, Pittsburgh’s pitchers have allowed 4.3 runs per game and its starters own a 3.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 6.75 K/9. The bullpen has managed an ERA of 5.52, along with a WHIP of 1.22.
Pirates hitters have slashed .265/.338/.439 on their way to 5.5 runs scored per game this year, including 4.6 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (3-2 SU).
Pittsburgh’s offense has been led by outfielders Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson. Marte is slashing .290/.388/.536 with 20 hits, seven RBIs, 16 runs and five steals, while Dickerson is slashing .328/.354/.525 with 20 hits, 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
Putting up a slash line of .250/.289/.317 across 128 such plate appearances, Marte didn’t do as well hitting against right-handed pitching on the road in 2017 (compared to his total season slash line of .275/.333/.379).
The Pirates have gained 6.2 units and are 8-6 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this season. The over has hit in seven of those games, as opposed to six that’ve hit the under against righties. On the other hand, the Phillies have lost 1.1 units and are 3-9 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in four of those games, as opposed to seven which went under the total.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia Phillies Free Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Phillies, ATS Winner – Pirates, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- The under has cashed in three of Pittsburgh’s last seven games.
- Pittsburgh has posted 21.6 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 20.0 over its last five.
- The Pirates have hit 13 home runs in their last 10 games. The Phillies have hit nine over their last 10.
