The Philadelphia Phillies will begin the second half of their season with a showdown with the Pittsburgh Pirates, their in-state rivals, on Friday at PNC Park. We're here to share our MLB odds series, make a Phillies-Pirates prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.

Phillies-Pirates Projected Starters 

Aaron Nola vs. Martin Perez 

Aaron Nola (11-4) with a 3.38 ERA

Last Start: Nola was efficient in his last outing, going six innings, allowing one earned run on four hits, striking out nine, and walking two in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2024 Road Splits: Nola has been good on the road, going 6-1 with a 3.33 ERA over eight starts away from Citizens Bank Park.

Martin Perez (1-5) with a 5.15 ERA

Last Start: Perez struggled in his last start, allowing five earned runs, nine hits, striking out five, and walking three in a loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

2024 Home Splits: Perez has been better at home, going 0-2 with a 3.89 ERA over seven starts at PNC Park.

Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Phillies-Pirates Odds

Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (+122)

Moneyline: -142

Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-146)

Moneyline: +120

Over: 7.5 (-122)

Under: 7.5 (+100)

How to Watch Phillies vs. Pirates

Time: 6:40 PM ET/3:40 PM PT

TV: Sportsnet Pittsburgh

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Phillies Will Cover The Spread/Win

Hitting has remained consistent for the Phillies despite any injuries they have endured. Significantly, Philadelphia ranks third in the majors in overall hitting. The Phillies are also sixth in home runs, showcasing their power. Ultimately, they have their full roster back and are ready to rumble.

Bryce Harper is back and better than ever. Now, he hopes to continue a successful season, hitting .301 with 21 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 56 runs. Trea Turner is tearing up opponents after recently returning from a hamstring injury. So far, he is hitting .349 with 11 home runs, 32 RBIs, and 49 runs. Kyle Schwarber hopes to continue producing. Currently, he is batting .249 with 19 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 65 runs. Alec Bohm has been one of the consistent hitters on this team. Substantially, he is hitting .295 with 11 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 42 runs.

Nola has a checkered history against the Pirates. He is 4-3 with a 3.98 ERA over nine starts against them. However, he is just 1-3 with a 4.33 ERA over five starts at PNC Park. Nola faced the Pirates twice last season.

In the first showdown, he went just 4 2/3 innings while allowing five runs, seven earned, on nine hits in a loss at PNC Park. Nola bounced back in the other start at Citizens Bank Park, dominating the Pirates over 6 2/3 innings while allowing one earned run on four hits, striking out eight in a no-decision. When Nola finishes, he will turn it over to a bullpen that is 13th in bullpen ERA. Subsequently, the Phillies hope to get the ball to Jose Alvarado, who is 1-3 with a 3.92 ERA and 13 saves, or Jeff Hoffman, who is 3-1 with a 1.12 ERA and nine saves.

The Phillies will cover the spread if their big bats can get things going early. Ultimately, this will help Nola get the advantage and allow him to get comfortable and into a groove.

Why The Pirates Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Pirates have not hit the ball well this season. Unfortunately, they rank just 27th in hitting. The Bucs have some kinks to work out as they welcome the best team in the majors into PNC Park. To do that, they need their hitters to produce.

Connor Joe has been unspectacular this season. So far, he is batting just .242 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs, and 41 runs. Ke'Bryan Hayes is not producing as well as he did in past seasons. He is hitting .244 with three home runs, 21 RBIs, and 30 runs. Oneil Cruz shows potential. Significantly, he is batting .246 with 14 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 41 runs, but he needs to clobber the baseball more often. Bryan Reynolds is the best hitter on the roster. Amazingly, he is hitting .284 with 18 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 45 runs.

The Pirates' starting pitching has been elite this season. Amazingly, they rank third in team ERA. The Pirates hope Perez can pitch well before turning it over to a bullpen that ranks just 26th in team ERA. Consequently, it has not been an easy time for closer David Bednar, who is 3-3 with a 5.01 ERA and 17 saves in 20 chances.

The Pirates will cover the spread if they can avoid falling into 0-2 counts against Nola and make him work for his outs. Then, they need their starting pitcher to hold the fort.

Final Phillies-Pirates Prediction & Pick

Despite being the best team in baseball, the Phillies are just sixth in baseball against the spread with a 51-45 mark. Conversely, the Pirates are 53-43 against the spread. Philadelphia is also 22-20 against the spread on the road, while Pittsburgh is 23-23 against the spread at home. Also, consider how Nola has struggled at this park and it makes this a sensible pick. While we don't exactly trust Perez, we do trust the Pirates to make things difficult for Nola.

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Final Phillies-Pirates Prediction & Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-146)