The Pittsburgh Pirates take on the Oakland Athletics. Our MLB odds series has our Pirates Athletics prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Pirates Athletics.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a problem, and it's not that hard to pinpoint. The Buccos just can't score very many runs. If you look at their past few weeks — in which they have gotten bruised, battered, and beaten up — they're not scoring more than two or three runs in many games. They didn't score more than two runs in the regulation nine innings in any of their weekend games in San Francisco versus the Giants. They scored four in a 10-inning game on Saturday, posting three runs in the top of the 10th with the aid of the “Manfred Man” ghost runner at second base, but they managed only one run in the first nine innings of that contest. Pittsburgh didn't have to travel far to start its next series after playing the Giants over the weekend. The Bucs took a short bus ride to Oakland to face the Athletics. The A's, meanwhile, had to fly in from Baltimore, where they played a draining three-game series versus the defending American League East Division champions. The Pirates should have been the fresher, more rested team. The logistics of the game set up well for them. Instead, they managed only one run in yet another toothless offensive performance. They did not answer the bell. This season is unraveling. It's only one month in, but the Pirates have to know that unless they can get on another roll the way they did to start their season (when they went 9-2 out of the gate), they won't have any chance of making the playoffs.

The Oakland A's are playing really good baseball. They just went 4-3 on a seven-game road swing against the Yankees and Orioles. They flew home on short rest and beat the Pirates in the first game of this series. Oakland is dramatically better than last season. The A's are getting solid pitching from their staff, and if they get a late-inning lead, they can bring in young flamethrower Mason Miller, who has been close to unhittable with his triple-digit heat. The A's have some new ingredients — such as Miller — which they lacked in 2023. They are noticeably better, and they are beginning to play with more confidence.

Here are the Pirates-Athletics MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Pirates-Athletics Odds

Pittsburgh Pirates: -1.5 (+116)

Oakland Athletics: +1.5 (-142)

Over: 8 (-105)

Under: 8 (-115)

How To Watch Pirates vs. Athletics

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh (Pirates) / NBC Sports California (Athletics) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.TV

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET/6:40 p.m. PT

*Watch Pirates-Athletics LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Pirates Could Cover The Spread

The Pirates don't have a lot going for them right now, but when a team has lost several games in a row, it eventually does snap the streak. Look at the Chicago White Sox, who finally won a series this past weekend against the Tampa Bay Rays. The White Sox are clearly one of the two or three worst teams in baseball, but every bad team wins a few games at some point in the schedule. The Pirates are going to play a good game at some point.

Why The Athletics Could Cover The Spread

The A's are locked in right now. Their pitchers are coming to the ballpark and are regularly delivering solid outings. The bullpen is not collapsing. The offense isn't spectacular but isn't getting shut down the way it so often did last season. Four or five runs can win more games than one or two, and the A's are managing — in this good pocket of play over the past eight games — to score enough runs to support their pitching.

Final Pirates-Athletics Prediction & Pick

These two teams are not all that reliable, so even though the A's are playing well, the official recommendation is to wait for a live betting play. Stay away from a pregame bet.

Final Pirates-Athletics Prediction & Pick: Athletics +1.5