The New York Mets (30-33) visit the Pittsburgh Pirates (32-29) for the first of a three-game series. First pitch commences Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Below we continue our MLB odds series with a Mets-Pirates prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Here are the Mets-Pirates MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Mets-Pirates Odds
New York Mets: -1.5 (+150)
Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-182)
Over: 9.5 (+100)
Under: 9.5 (-122)
How To Watch Mets vs. Pirates
TV: ATTSN-Pittsburgh, SNY
Stream: MLB.tv
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET/ 4:05 p.m. PT
*See how to watch Mets-Pirates LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Mets Could Cover The Spread
Last 10: 3-7 (Fourth in the NL East)
Run Line Record: 23-40 (37%)
Over Record: 29-33-1 (47%)
New York limps into Pittsburgh tonight on a six-game losing streak. After blowing a late lead against the Braves last night, the Mets have now been swept two series in a row – against Atlanta and Toronto. Despite the largest payroll in baseball, New York has struggled on offense this season – ranking 16th in runs and 20th in OPS. While their 27th-ranked BABIP should sort itself out eventually, their lack of extra-base hits is a legitimate concern considering only 33% of their knocks result in multiple bags (24th in the MLB). Things don't get any easier tonight matched up with a red-hot Pirates team. New York has struggled on the road this year (15-21) and they're even worse against the spread as a road favorite (8-16).
Righty Tylor Megill (5-3) makes his 13th start of the season for the Mets tonight. The 27-year-old has had an up-and-down third season for New York. While his 4.40 ERA would mark a career-low, his 1.62 WHIP certainly causes concern. He's really struggled to generate strikeouts (7.3 K/9) and sitting in the 15th percentile in walk rate hasn't done him any favors. That said, Megill is coming off a strong start against Toronto in which he limited a potent Blue Jays lineup to just a single run in 5.1 innings of work. Still, he issued five free passes – a season-high. While the Pirates have faired worse against righties compared to lefties this season, they also walk at the fourth-highest rate in the MLB. Additionally, Megill has struggled away from Citi Field – holding a 6.08 ERA in road starts compared to a 3.03 ERA at home.
New York will be without star first baseman Pete Alonso tonight after he hit the IL prior to Friday's game. Thankfully, they've seen a rise in production from outfielder Starling Marte after a rough start to the year. He's batting .333 over their last six games – collecting 12 total bases in the process. Keep an eye on rookie catcher Francisco Alvarez as well. With three homers in his last two games, he now ranks third among catchers in home runs with 11.
Why The Pirates Could Cover The Spread
Last 10: 6-4 (Second in the NL Central)
Run Line Record: 32-29 (53%)
Over Record: 29-29-3 (50%)
Pittsburgh's roller-coaster season continues tonight as they host a struggling Mets team. The Pirates started red-hot with a 19-9 record in April but completely flipped the script in May – going 8-18. Despite most recently dropping a home series to the Athletics, the Pirates had previously won six games in a row. Now, playing their seventh consecutive home game, Pittsburgh has been relegated to home underdogs despite holding a stronger record than their opponents tonight. That said, the Pirates own a solid 16-15 home record and have been strong as home underdogs – covering 11/19 such instances.
Lefty Rich Hill (5-5) makes his 13th start of the season for the Pirates tonight. The 18-year-veteran has been solid aside from a few blow-up starts. Through 12 outings, he owns a 4.41 ERA and 1.38 WHIP while sitting in the 64th percentile in walk rate. Still, with three starts in which he allowed more than four runs and an xERA north of five, Hill is far from a sure thing against a Mets lineup that put up 19 runs in their most recent series. That said, Hill looked sharp in his most recent outing – throwing a season-high 6.2 innings while allowing just a single run against the Cardinals. That was a much-needed bounce-back for Hill after he left May with a 5.47 ERA and three losses.
While the Pirates have struggled as a whole to generate runs of late, that is no fault of Ke'Bryan Hayes. The 26-year-old owns an incredible 1.375 OPS over their last six games – going 12/24 while collecting 21 total bases in the process. Coming off a three-hit game, the third baseman could feast tonight considering his preference for right-handed pitching.
Final Mets-Pirates Prediction & Pick
Despite dropping six straight, the Mets showed signs of life against the first-place Braves – especially on the offensive end. Conceding Pittsburgh's offensive struggles of late, New York should have more than enough firepower to cover as road favorites.
Final Mets-Pirates Prediction & Pick: New York Mets -1.5 (+150)
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