Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 9/12/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Sunday, September 12, 2021

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Washington (-141) Pittsburgh (+110)

Bryse Wilson and the Pittsburgh Pirates (51-90, 5th in NL Central) play the Washington Nationals (58-83, 5th in NL East) at PNC Park on Sunday. The Pirates open this game at +110 while the Nationals are priced at -141. The over/under is set at 8.5. The starting pitchers are Paolo Espino and Bryse Wilson.

The Nationals have accumulated 227 doubles as a unit and have hit 161 baseballs out of the park. Washington has a slugging percentage of .417 and have struck out 1,138 times, while being walked on 472 occasions. As a unit, the Washington Nationals are putting up 4.4 runs per game, which has them sitting at 17th in MLB. They have accumulated 593 RBI's as well as 1,191 hits over the course of the season, while their batting average is at .256. They have earned a total of 626 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .333.

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The Nationals have compiled a team ERA of 4.74 on the year (24th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,162 batters. They have walked 452 hitters and their FIP sits at 4.80 as a team over the course of the season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.57 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.35. Nationals pitchers have allowed 213 long balls in addition to 707 runs in total (26th in baseball).

Nationals relief pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 123 times in addition to having 149 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have tallied 79 holds for the year (9th in baseball). The Nationals relief pitchers have recorded a save rate of 53.4% and has come into the game in 139 save situations. They have accumulated 31 saves on the campaign and have not converted 27 out of their 58 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 181 runners on the season with 39.2% of them ended up scoring. The Nationals have dispatched 483 relievers to the mound for the season.

The Nationals have turned 69.5% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 10,881 innings on the field, which has them sitting 19th in pro baseball. The Washington Nationals have accumulated 3,628 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 1,190 assists and 85 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .983 which has them sitting 26th in professional baseball, and have earned 1,014 double plays.

Espino (4-4 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a FIP of 4.86 and he has faced 514 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. He has surrendered 121 hits (9.0 hits per nine innings) and has 30 walks. His earned run average is 4.69 (63 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.248. Espino has taken the mound for 121 innings and is sitting with 104 punch outs in his career.

Pittsburgh has tallied 111 home runs on the campaign and 484 runs batted in. They have 215 doubles, while getting a free base 443 times and scoring 513 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have recorded an on-base percentage of .306 and a batting average of .235 on the year. The Pirates hold a team slugging percentage of .363 and they score 3.64 runs per contest (30th in baseball). They have been rung up on 1,150 occasions (26th in baseball) and have a total of 1,093 base hits.

The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.422 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.69 as a team on the year. They are sitting at 23rd in MLB as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,202. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have conceded 721 runs for the season while having a team ERA of 5.07 (683 earned runs given up). They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.19 (1,141 strikeouts against 522 free passes). They have relinquished 182 HR's and they concede 5.35 runs per 9 innings (27th in the league).

Pittsburgh has had relievers step onto the hill in 36 save opportunities and they have come away with 20 saves. They sit at 24th in MLB holding a save rate of 55.6%, and they have sent 492 bullpen pitchers to the mound this year. Their relievers have come in 112 times in high leverage situations in addition to 105 occasions with base runners. Pittsburgh bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 34.3% of 175 inherited base runners. With 98 save situations, the Pirates have compiled 59 holds in addition to 16 blown saves.

In 10,911 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have a defensive efficiency of 68.8% (24th in MLB). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 120 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .987 (5th in the majors). The Pirates have 1,203 assists, 64 errors and have earned 3,637 putouts this year.

In his pro baseball career, Wilson has allowed 122 hits while he has earned 78 punch outs in 105 innings pitched. Wilson (5-7 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a 5.13 earned run average while conceding 10.4 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 60 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.547 and a FIP of 5.1. His K/BB ratio is 1.90 and he has faced 466 opposing batters so far in his pro baseball career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Washington (-141)

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