It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Pirates-Diamondbacks prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Pirates Diamondbacks.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are beginning to look like the team we saw in October last season. The defending National League champions have been ravaged by injuries to their starting rotation, and they struggled at the plate throughout the first two and a half months of the season, but in the past month, their offense has become noticeably more explosive. Corbin Carroll has broken out of a slump. Ketel Marte is crushing the baseball. Christian Walker terrorized the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Arizona is above .500 and in the middle of the National League wild card race. The D-Backs just won two consecutive series coming out of the All-Star break, one in Chicago against the Cubs and another in Kansas City versus the Royals. If they keep playing like this, the Diamondbacks will have a shot at defending their National League championship from 2023.
The surprising team in this game is the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's true that Pittsburgh has three quality starters in Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, and Cy Young Award contender Paul Skenes. However, the Pirates went into this season not having a strong offensive lineup. It was widely known that Pittsburgh was going to struggle to hit and score. The fact that the Buccos are above .500 and have a chance to reach the playoffs is a thrilling prospect for this team. However, all eyes are on upper management. The Pirates have generally been a penny-pinching organization in the past decade. Will they be willing to make a very bold move and upgrade their batting order before the trade deadline? The outcome of this series in Phoenix against a fellow National League wild card contender could shape the Pirates' overall view and their ultimate decision at the deadline. This is one of the most important series in baseball this weekend, and the Pirates are part of it.
Pirates-Diamondbacks Projected Starters
Jose Ortiz vs. Zac Gallen
Jose Ortiz (5-2) has a 2.57 ERA. He has been brilliant since moving to the starting rotation. He has made four starts on the year, most of them in the past month. He has an 0.87 ERA in the month of July. As you can see below, he dominated the Phillies — the best team in baseball in the eyes of most analysts — last weekend. This guy is on a roll. If he continues pitching like this, the Pirates' staff becomes even more dangerous. If this team can get into October, it will have the starting pitching needed to make a run at the pennant.
Last Start: Saturday, July 20 versus the Philadelphia Phillies: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 2 BB, 2 K
2024 Road Splits: 2 starts, 35 IP, 30 H, 10 R, 0 HR, 9 BB, 32 K
Zac Gallen (7-5) has a 3.64 ERA. He has missed several starts this season with an injury and is still not the Cy Young-level pitcher he has been for most of the past two years. However, he knows how to pitch in crises. He wiggled out of constant trouble in his most recent start against the Cubs, pitching around six walks and three hits to blank the Cubs. The D-Backs will need Gallen to be more precise and efficient, but in the short term, if he can wiggle out of trouble, it will be good enough.
Last Start: Saturday, July 20 versus the Chicago Cubs: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 6 BB, 4 K
2024 Home Splits: 8 starts, 45 2/3 IP, 42 H, 19 R, 3 HR, 11 BB, 43 K
Here are the Pirates-Diamondbacks MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Pirates-Diamondbacks Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-142)
Moneyline: +150
Arizona Diamondbacks: -1.5 (+118)
Moneyline: -178
Over: 8.5 (-104)
Under: 8.5 (-118)
How to Watch Pirates vs Diamondbacks
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET/6:40 p.m. PT
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh (Pirates) / MLB (Diamondbacks) / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Pirates Could Cover The Spread
Jose Ortiz is pitching better than Zac Gallen right now. That's the best reason to take the Pirates against the spread … and they're getting 1.5 runs on the run line.
Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover The Spread
The veteran toughness of Zac Gallen is hard to ignore, but the other story is that the D-Backs are hitting the ball well and really do look like a threat in the National League once again. They're a better team than Pittsburgh, full stop.
Final Pirates-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick
The Diamondbacks are on a roll, but Jose Ortiz is, too. Pass on this one.
Final Pirates-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Diamondbacks -1.5
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