Pittsburgh Pirates (54-67) vs Minnesota Twins (63-59)
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Minnesota Twins 8/18/2023 – After defeating the Mets, the Pirates suffered a loss in the series finale. They will attempt to recover from the setback by defeating the Twins, their third victory in the previous seven games, and their third straight triumph over the Twins. Pittsburgh scores 4.18 runs per game on average. Their league-leading .235 batting average places them 26th. They rank 25th in slugging percentage (.388) and 22nd in on-base percentage (.313), respectively.
The Minnesota Twins have been in good form, winning three of their last four games. A win against the Pirates could make it four out of five and help them widen the gap against Cleveland in the AL Central. The Twins are averaging 4.40 runs per game and hold a league-leading batting average of .237, ranking 23rd. They stand 19th in on-base percentage (.316) and 13th in slugging percentage (.416). For expert predictions, check out free major league baseball picks.
Pirates vs. Twins Game Info
| When: | August 18, 2023 8:10 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | Target Field, MN |
| TV: | Bally Sports North |
| Stream: | MLB.TV |
Andre Jackson (0-0, ERA: 5.47) vs Pablo Lopez (8-6, ERA: 3.66)
The club from Pittsburgh had strong pitching, only allowing 4.90 runs per game. The Pirates are 23rd in the league with a .255 opponent batting average. Both their 1.40 WHIP and 4.58 ERA rank them 24th. Jackson lost to Cincinnati 6-5 after giving up five hits and three runs in 3.2 innings during his previous appearance.
The club of Minnesota had strong pitching, only allowing 4.07 runs per game. The Twins are fifth in the league with a .237 opponent batting average. Their 1.20 WHIP ranks 20th, while their 3.89 ERA is seventh. Lopez’s latest start resulted in an 8-1 victory over Philadelphia despite allowing four hits and no runs in six innings
MLB Odds/Point Spread: Minnesota Twins -225, Total Odds: 8.5
The Twins triumphed in seven of their last 12 matches and four of their last five at home. They scored 17 runs in their last three home matches and are offensively strong. They hit the ball well against right-handers, and Jackson didn’t pitch well in his season debut, surrendering three runs in less than four innings, so expect them to play well offensively in this match. They will find it difficult to slow down the Twins in this game as their bullpen is also having difficulty during their slump. Four of the Pirates’ last six games ended in losses.
They scored 12 runs in their last three road games, indicating a poor offensive performance. They did not hit the ball effectively against right-handers, and Lopez was pitching well lately, allowing just one run in his previous three starts, so their offensive struggles will likely continue in this game. After allowing just one run in his previous outing versus the Pirates, he will contain their offense. Minnesota is a good bet to cover the run line.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Trends
The total went OVER in 8 of Pittsburgh’s last 10 matches. The Pittsburgh Pirates are 3-6 SU in their last 9 matches. The Pittsburgh Pirates are 3-7 SU in their last 10 matches against Minnesota. The Pittsburgh Pirates are 2-5 SU in their last 7 matches when playing on the road against Minnesota.
Minnesota Twins Betting Trends
The Minnesota Twins are 4-1 SU in their last 5 matches at home. The Minnesota Twins are 5-2 SU in their last 7 matches when playing at home against Pittsburgh. The total went UNDER in 9 of Minnesota’s last 13 matches against an opponent in the NL.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Minnesota Twins 8/18/2023 Betting Picks
The total has been trending towards the OVER in recent matchups involving the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the OVER hitting in 9 of their last 12 games against American League opponents and 5 of their last 6 games against American League Central Division teams. However, the Pirates haven’t been performing well on Fridays, going 1-5 in their last 6 Friday matches. On the other hand, the Minnesota Twins have seen the total go OVER in 7 of their last 10 games against National League Central Division opponents. For insightful predictions, make sure to check out free sports picks.
Free Pick and Prediction: The Minnesota Twins will win 7-2.