Subscribe
Follow Us
The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers will face off in the second game of a three-game series on Tuesday. It's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Pirates-Dodgers prediction and pick.
These two teams played a close game on Monday night, with the Dodgers barely pulling away in the bottom of the eighth inning. Los Angeles will need to continue their winning ways against teams like the Pirates if they ever want to catch the San Francisco Giants in the race for the NL West. The Dodgers are currently four games back of first place, so any win is huge for them. The Pirates haven't played a meaningful game this season, but they would love to play a little bit of spoiler to one of the most stacked teams in the MLB.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the lines for Tuesday's matchup.
MLB Odds: Pirates-Dodgers Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates +1 1/2 (+138)
Los Angeles Dodgers -1 1/2 (-158)
Over 9 runs (-111)
Under 9 runs (-109)
Why The Pirates Could Cover The Spread
The Pirates don't have a lot going for them, but they may be able to take advantage of some shortcomings that Los Angeles has in this game. The Dodgers will be starting pitcher David Price, who has spent most of this season acting as a reliever for a depleted Los Angeles pitching staff. Price has been good, but the Pirates should be able to get to the Dodgers' bullpen earlier than usual, as Price typically lasts four or five innings per start. Two of the most heavily-utilized relievers on the Dodgers are on the IL right now, so Pittsburgh will get to face a weak slate of bullpen arms. Even the Pirates should be able to put up some runs on a weakened Los Angeles bullpen over the span of four or five innings.
Article Continues Below
Pittsburgh will deploy starting pitcher Wil Crowe in this game. Crowe has had a decent season, but his year-long numbers aren't anything to write home about. However, his last seven starts have certainly been notable. Over that span, Crowe has put together a 3.63 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Those still aren't great numbers, but they show that Crowe has been at least halfway decent as he heads into this matchup against one of the best teams in baseball.
Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread
Los Angeles is one of the best offensive teams in baseball. They rank inside the top ten in the league in almost every major batting statistic, so facing Wil Crowe isn't exactly an intimidating matchup.
In addition to the obvious upper hand that the Dodgers have on Crowe, there are also plenty of advanced stats that tilt in the Dodgers' favor. Crowe owns a walk percentage of 11.1%, which is on the higher end of the spectrum. Los Angeles is second in the league in both walks drawn and OBP, so the Dodgers should have plenty of baserunners throughout this game. The Pittsburgh starter also allows a 9.2% barrel percentage, another abnormally high number. Los Angeles has six players who barrel the ball at a high rate, so there should be plenty of hard-hit balls throughout this game. That, combined with the amount of runners who will get free passes from Crowe should equal plenty of Dodger runs.
David Price may have moved to the bullpen this season, but he's shown he's still capable of putting together quality starts. Over his last six starts, Price has pitched 28 innings and only allowed 11 runs. The lefty shouldn't have any trouble putting away a Pirates lineup that is one of the worst in baseball.
Final Pirates-Dodgers Prediction & Pick
Even with the spread in play, it's nearly impossible to bet on the Pirates with confidence here. The Dodgers have every advantage, and Wil Crowe is a great matchup for this Los Angeles lineup. The Dodgers should win this game with ease.
FINAL PICK: Los Angeles Dodgers -1 1/2 (-158)
