Pittsburgh Pirates vs Seattle Mariners Picks and Predictions August 16th 2024

From PNC Park in Pittsburgh, we have the Mariners and Pirates facing off in an interleague matchup. The money line odds have the Pirates at -128 compared to the Mariners at +109. This one is set to get started at 6:40 PM ET, and APLTV is carrying it on TV.

Friday’s forecast in Pittsburgh calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-80s. Seattle will be looking to end a three-game losing streak, and they are 63-59, while the Pirates are 56-64 and have lost 10 straight. Paul Skenes is starting for the Pirates, and the over/under line is at 7 runs.

Seattle vs. Pittsburgh Key Information

Right-hander Logan Gilbert gets the start for the Mariners today as he faces the Pirates on the road. This year, he has made 24 starts and has a record of 7-8 with an ERA of 2.91. Gilbert’s WHIP for the season is .87, and opponents are batting .189 off him this year. In his 24 appearances, he has turned in 19 quality starts. Gilbert’s most recent outing was a good one, as he picked up the win and didn’t allow a run in seven innings of work. Before that, he had lost three straight starts.

Cal Raleigh has been struggling this season, batting just .214, but he has been the Mariners’ most consistent power threat, as his 26 homers are the best mark on the team and 15th in the MLB. Over his last five games, Raleigh has gone 4/18 with two homers and seven RBIs. Julio Rodriguez has also been swinging a good bat, hitting .263 for the season with 11 homers.

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As a team, the Mariners are averaging just 3.9 runs per game and are the league’s worst team in terms of striking out. They are also near the bottom of the league in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Seattle is hoping to get their offense on track, as they are just 4-6 in their last 10 games.

Paul Skenes gets the start for the Pirates today and will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing against the Dodgers. In that start, he took the loss, giving up four earned runs in six innings of work. Looking back further, Skenes has made 15 starts and has a record of 6-2. His ERA for the season is an impressive 2.25, along with a WHIP of .96. Opposing batters are hitting .201 off Skenes this season. The right-hander has turned in 11 quality starts and is averaging 11.25 strikeouts per nine innings.

For the season, the Pirates are averaging just 4.1 runs per game, which is 23rd in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and team slugging percentage. Bryan Reynolds and Bryan De La Cruz have been a solid 1-2 punch in terms of power this season, with Reynolds leading the team with 19 homers and De La Cruz right behind him at 18. Reynolds also comes into the game with a team-best batting average of .285.

Andrew McCutchen has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 6/17 in his last four games with three homers and eight RBIs. He is also on a five-game hitting streak. Joey Bart and Bryan Reynolds have also been swinging the bat well, with Bart going 9/29 in his last seven games and Reynolds going 10/37 in his last eight games.

Today’s matchup between the Mariners and Pirates has the 8th highest combined runs projection and 9th highest hits projection. However, we are leaning towards the Mariners to come out on top, and we are also leaning towards taking the over. Between the two starters, we have Logan Gilbert as today’s 5th best strikeout option compared to Paul Skenes who has the highest projections among today’s starters.

Mariners Look to Revive Offense Against Struggling Pirates

As the Seattle Mariners continue their road trip, they find themselves in a slump, struggling to score runs. After a promising four-game winning streak last week where they scored 26 runs, the Mariners’ bats have gone cold, managing just four runs across their last three games—all of which were losses. On Friday, they will attempt to turn things around as they face the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series.

Mariners’ Offensive Woes

Seattle’s recent offensive struggles have been a significant issue as they sit three games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West and 3 1/2 games back in the wild-card race. The Mariners’ inability to capitalize with runners in scoring position was on full display in their most recent loss, a 2-1 defeat to the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. Despite getting a run in the first inning via four walks, the Mariners managed just one hit—a double in the fifth inning—and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Mariners manager Scott Servais expressed frustration with the team’s inconsistency.

“This is kind of what our season’s been like,” Servais said. “It’s been good, it’s been bad. It kind of goes up-down. This club has shown the ability to be resilient and bounce back. … I believe in the group that we have, but we’ve got to bounce—we got to bounce back quickly.”

The Mariners’ absence of shown help eclipsed a heavenly pitching execution to Bryce Mill operator, who held Detroit to two hits more than seven innings while striking out nine. Servais realizes that even solid pitching can indeed do a limited amount a lot in the event that the offense doesn’t create. “We must be better upsettingly; there could be no opposite way around it,” he accentuated. “You’re simply not going to dominate matches in this league — (with) one run, two runs — regardless of how great your pitching is.”

Seattle will expect one more solid trip from Logan Gilbert, who takes the hill on Friday. Gilbert has been sharp in his last two beginnings, permitting only one sudden spike in demand for seven hits more than 13 innings. This will be his most memorable profession start against the Pirates, and the Mariners will depend on him to keep the Pirates’ bats calm while they work to get their own offense in the groove again.

Pirates’ Struggles Continue

The Pirates, in the mean time, are amidst a 10-game losing streak, having plunged to last place in the National League Focal. Their new battles have in essence run their season finisher trusts as they presently sit 7 1/2 games out of the wild-card race. During their losing streak, the Pirates have been outscored 60-33, remembering scoring two or less runs for four of their last five games.

Pittsburgh’s offense has been a major issue, with players pressing too hard to make things happen at the plate.

“I think, No. 1, we’ve chased too much. I think that goes to the point where we have some offensive players that are trying to do a little too much now,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “And when you do a little too much, you end up getting out of your hitting zones. It looks like that’s where we’re at right now. We need to flush and move on.”

Rookie phenom Paul Skenes will start for the Pirates on Friday, hoping to stop the team’s skid. Skenes has been one of the few bright spots for Pittsburgh this season, posting a 6-2 record with a 2.25 ERA. However, he struggled in his last outing, allowing four runs in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite his recent struggles, Skenes remains a key figure for the Pirates as they look to end their losing streak.

Key Matchup: Gilbert vs. Skenes

Friday’s game will highlight a matchup between two promising youthful pitchers in Logan Gilbert and Paul Skenes. Gilbert has been a solid starter for the Mariners this season, and his new structure proposes he’s fit for conveying serious areas of strength for another. On the opposite side, Skenes, regardless of a few late hiccups, has shown he can be predominant on the hill. The two groups are battling repulsively, so this game could come down to which pitcher can all the more likely smother the contradicting setup.

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Conclusion

As the Mariners visit the Pirates, the two groups are frantic for a success. Seattle requirements to restore its offense to keep pace in the season finisher race, while Pittsburgh is just hoping to stop the draining and snap a 10-game losing streak. With two gifted youthful pitchers on the hill, Friday’s down could be a firmly challenged undertaking. The Mariners will expect to rediscover their scoring contact, while the Pirates mean to discover some hostile consistency and end their losing streak.