Pittsburgh Pirates vs
Boston Red SoxPredictions & Preview

Pirates to Face Red Sox at Fenway Park in High-Stakes Three-Game Series

On Friday, the Pittsburgh Pirates (59-75, 5th NL Central) will face off against the Boston Red Sox (74-60, 2nd AL East) at Fenway Park to kick off a three-game series. The Pirates are coming off a 2-1 victory against the St Louis Cardinals and have been on a hot streak, winning six of their last seven games. However, they are significantly behind in the NL Central standings and the wild card race. The Red Sox, on the other hand, have won three straight and hold the first AL wild card spot, trailing the AL East leader by four games. Both teams will be missing several key players due to injuries. For a detailed prediction of this matchup, be sure to check out our MLB picks. Get ready for some exciting baseball action between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox!

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Pirates -110 | Red Sox -107
• Spread: Pirates -1.5 (+154) | Red Sox +1.5 (-186)
• Total: Over/Under 8 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Pittsburgh will win straight-up is 52%.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently struggling offensively, ranking 24th in on-base percentage, 27th in batting average, and last in both runs scored and slugging percentage in the league. Oneil Cruz leads the team in home runs with 18, while Bryan Reynolds leads in RBI with 66. Overall, Pittsburgh has four players with 40 or more RBI. On the mound, the Pirates have been more solid, ranking 5th in WHIP, 7th in batting average against, and 14th in Quality Starts and ERA. Paul Skenes leads the team in wins, strikeouts, and has the best ERA for starters at 2.07. In the upcoming game on Friday, Mike Burrows will be starting, with a record of 1-4 and a 4.23 ERA this season.

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox currently rank in the top 8 in four hitting categories, including being 4th in runs scored with 665, 7th in both batting average at .252 and slugging percentage at .425, and 8th in on-base percentage at .324. Wilyer Abreu (who is currently injured) leads the team in home runs with 22, followed by Trevor Story with 21. Story also leads the team in RBI with 83, while Jarren Duran is second with 73. Boston has four active players with 53 or more RBI. The team has accumulated 270 doubles, 21 triples, and 161 home runs for a total of 452 extra base hits in 134 games.

On the mound, Boston ranks 2nd in Quality Starts with 63, 5th in ERA at 3.67, 15th in WHIP at 1.28, and batting average against at .242. Garret Crochet leads the team in wins with 14, strikeouts with 207, and has the best ERA for starters at 2.38. Dustin May is scheduled to start on Friday with a season record of 7-10, a 4.79 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 117 strikeouts.

Boston Red Sox Favored to Win Home Game Against Pittsburgh Pirates, But Pirates Expected to Cover Runline

The Boston Red Sox are favored to win their upcoming home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. However, the Pirates are expected to play well enough to cover the runline. Pittsburgh currently ranks 7th in baseball against the runline with a record of 73-61, and they have won six of their last seven games. The Pirates' starting pitcher, Mike Burrows, has had solid performances in his last two appearances, allowing only one run in 9 innings. On the other hand, Boston's starting pitcher, Dustin May, struggled in his last outing, giving up five hits and five runs in 4.1 innings. Despite May's recent struggles, Boston has the third-best bullpen ERA in the league at 3.39. While Boston may have the statistical edge at the plate, the Pirates are expected to stay competitive and cover the runline due to May's potential pitching difficulties.

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