Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Free Pick

betdsiArticles, Baseball, MLB

The ice-cold Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to avoid losing their fifth straight game as they play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park. The game gets underway 1:35 p.m. ET and Fox Sports Arizona will broadcast this NL showdown.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Odds

Pittsburgh (-115) is favored against Arizona (+105) and oddsmakers have the Over/Under for this one at 8.5 runs. Odds for betting on the games total sit at -105 for the over and -115 for the under. Bettors can also wager on the games spread with the runline odds standing at -200 for the Diamondbacks +1.5 runs and +170 for the Pirates -1.5 runs.

The Pirates are 36-40 straight up (SU) and 33-42 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 5.6 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 11.8 units (ATS). On the other hand, the Diamondbacks are 43-33 SU and have gone 40-35 ATS. In total, the teams accumulated 8.9 units for moneyline gamblers and 8.4 units ATS.

Neither side has been an obvious over/under play this season. Pirates games have an over/under record of 35-34-6 so far in 2018. Arizona has an over/under record of 36-35-4.

Clay Buchholz will get the nod for the D-backs. The right-handed Buchholz is 1-1 with a 2.94 ERA and 26 strikeouts. He’s 0-0 with two strikeouts and an 11.25 ERA against Pittsburgh this year.

The Pirates are putting the ball in the hands of righty Trevor Williams (6-4, 4.00 ERA), who has 58 strikeouts and 28 walks, as well as a WHIP of 1.22. Williams is 0-1 with two strikeouts and a 9.00 ERA in one start against Arizona this year.

As a unit, Pittsburgh’s pitchers have given up 4.6 runs per game overall this year. The clubs starting pitching staff has an ERA of 4.24, a WHIP of 1.27 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 7.7. The bullpen has a 4.24 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 9.5 K/9.

The Pittsburgh hitters are putting up 4.5 runs per contest, including 3.7 per game over its last 10 games and 1.8 per game over their last five. The team has hit .183/.254/.219 over its last five contests and is 1-4 SU during that span.

Corey Dickerson has helped lead the Pirates offense this season with five home runs, 32 RBIs and 32 runs scored.

In the other dugout, Arizona’s pitching staff allowed 3.7 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 4.01 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 9.13 K/9. The bullpen has logged an excellent ERA of just 2.50, along with a WHIP of 1.24 and a K-per-9 of 7.75.

Diamondbacks hitters have slashed .227/.308/.400 on their way to 4.5 runs scored per game in 2018, including 5.0 runs per game over the teams last 10 games and 5.8 per game over the teams last five outings (4-1 SU).

Arizona’s hitters have been paced by David Peralta. Peralta is slashing .278/.342/.502 with 14 home runs, 41 RBIs and 35 runs scored.

The Diamondbacks just took the previous game in the series by a final score of seven runs to two.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Prediction

Predictions: SU Winner – Pirates, ATS Winner – Diamondbacks, O/U – OVER

Betting Notes

  • The under has cashed in five of Pittsburgh’s last seven games.
  • The Diamondbacks have hit 14 home runs in their last 10 games. The Pirates have hit eight over their last 10.
  • Pittsburgh has recorded 18.9 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 14.2 over its last five.
  • The Pirates have dropped five of their last six games SU.