Pittsburgh Pirates vs New York Mets Prediction, 7/8/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs New York Mets

Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021

Location: Citi Field in Queens, NY

TV: SNY

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+155) New York (-200)

Citi Field is the venue where Taijuan Walker and the New York Mets (44-37, 1st in NL East) will play the Pittsburgh Pirates (32-53, 5th in NL Central) on Thursday. The moneyline on this matchup has the Pirates priced at +155 and the Mets are at -200. The O/U is set at 8. The men taking the mound are JT Brubaker and Taijuan Walker.

The Pirates have accrued 127 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 66 balls out of the stadium. Pittsburgh is slugging .354 and have been rung up 697 times, while taking a walk on 267 occasions. As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are putting up 3.5 runs per contest, which has them sitting at 30th in MLB. They have accounted for 281 runs batted in and 642 base knocks on the year, and their team batting average is sitting at .229. They have a total of 298 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .301.

Pirates pitchers have conceded 99 home runs and 403 total runs (20th in MLB). They have walked 301 opposing hitters and their FIP is 4.42 as a team on the campaign. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.31 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.34. The Pirates have a team ERA of 4.67 for the season (24th in the league), and their staff has rung up 696 hitters.

The Pirates have dispatched 292 relief pitchers to the mound for the season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 110 base runners so far this year and 28.2% of those players ended up scoring. They have earned 12 saves on the campaign and have blown 4 out of their 16 save chances. The Pirates relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 75.0% and has entered the game in 51 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 33 holds for the year (27th in the league). Pirates bullpen pitchers have come into the game with opponents on base 67 times in addition to having 62 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have accounted for 2,203 putouts on the year, as well as 756 assists and 44 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .985 which is 9th in the majors, and have earned 603 double plays. The Pirates have converted 69.9% of balls in play into outs in their 6,609 innings on the field, which ranks them 12th in MLB.

Brubaker (5-11 mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 4.42 while he has faced 555 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has surrendered 125 base knocks (8.6 hits per 9 innings) with 35 free passes. His earned run average is 4.40 (64 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.221. Brubaker has taken the hill for 131 innings and has earned 129 punch outs in his career.

New York has a total of 79 home runs over the course of the season to go along with 286 runs batted in. They have hit 105 two-baggers, while walking 249 times as well as putting up 299 runs. The New York Mets have accounted for an OBP of .308 in addition to a batting average of .230 so far this year. The Mets have a SLG% of .369 and they are scoring 3.69 runs per game (29th in MLB). They have been called out on strikes on 704 instances (25th in MLB) and have tallied 585 base knocks.

The Mets have a team WHIP of 1.149 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.51 as a team on the year. They are sitting at 1st in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 551. The New York pitching staff have surrendered 292 runs for the season and come in with a team ERA of 3.34 (253 earned runs allowed). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 3.24 (755 strikeouts against 233 free passes). They have surrendered 74 long balls and they give up 3.85 runs per 9 innings (5th in MLB).

With 70 save situations, the Mets have accrued 35 holds in addition to 11 blown saves. New York has had relievers step onto the mound in 34 save chances and they have earned 23 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 83 times in high leverage situations and on 63 occasions with runners on. New York relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 36.5% out of 96 inherited base runners. They rank 7th in the league holding a save rate of 67.6%, and they have sent 248 bullpen pitchers to the mound this year.

In 6,144 innings played, the Mets have a efficiency on defense of 70.4% (10th in MLB). The New York Mets have turned 62 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .983 (21st in the majors). The Mets have 648 assists, 47 errors and have notched a total of 2,048 putouts for the year.

Walker (42-37 career win-loss mark) has earned a 3.66 ERA while allowing 8.1 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.91 and he has faced 2,804 opposing hitters in his career. He has conceded 271 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.217 and a FIP of 4.1. In his MLB career, Walker has surrendered 600 base knocks while totaling 615 punch outs in 666 frames.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+155)

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