Pittsburgh Pirates vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 5/3/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Tropicana Field is where the Tampa Bay Rays (23-6) will play the Pittsburgh Pirates (20-9) on Wednesday. The expected starting pitchers are Mitch Keller and Shane McClanahan.

The Pirates have tallied 62 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 34 baseballs out of the stadium. Pittsburgh is slugging .449 and have been rung up 229 times, while being walked on 113 occasions. As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates are notching 5.4 runs per contest, which ranks them 5th in the league. They have 148 runs batted in as well as 256 hits so far this season, while their batting average is .264. They have earned a total of 156 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .343.

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The Pirates are sitting with a team earned run average of 3.55 over the course of the season (7th in the league), and their staff has struck out 251 batters. Pirates pitchers have allowed 23 home runs and 108 runs in total (7th in the league). They have walked 98 opposing batters and their FIP comes in at 3.81 as a team for the season. Pittsburgh has conceded 238 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) and 102 earned runs. Their K/BB ratio is 2.56 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.30.

The Pirates bullpen have earned a save percentage of 81.3% and stepped onto the hill in 42 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 28 base runners over the course of the season and 21.4% of them crossed the plate. Pirates relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 18 times in addition to having 29 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have sent 87 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have racked up 25 holds so far this season (4th in the league). They have accumulated 13 saves for the year and have blown 3 of their 16 chances to save the game.

The Pirates have turned 68.9% of balls in play into outs out of their 2,328 innings on the diamond, ranking them 17th in MLB. The Pittsburgh Pirates have notched a total of 776 putouts this year, in addition to 228 assists and 18 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .982 which puts them in 24th in professional baseball, and they have turned 20 double plays.

Keller (15-29 win-loss record in his career) has earned a FIP of 4.06 and he has faced 1,620 opposing hitters in the major leagues. He has given up 405 base knocks (10.0 hits per 9 innings) with 155 walks. His earned run average is 4.86 (197 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.534. Keller has taken the hill for 365 innings and is sitting with 351 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career.

The Tampa Bay Rays have tallied a team OBP of .351 as well as a batting average of .281 so far this season. They have struck out on 248 occasions (17th in the league) and have tallied 282 base knocks. Tampa Bay has tallied 61 long balls this season and 188 RBIs. The Rays have a SLG% of .528 and they tally 6.72 runs per contest (1st in baseball). They have hit 56 two-baggers, while getting a free base 94 times as well as earning 195 runs.

The Rays have a team WHIP of 1.108 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.60 as a team so far this season. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.80 (252 strikeouts vs 88 free passes). They are sitting at 1st in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 198. They have surrendered 19 HR's and they give up 3.21 runs per 9 innings (1st in MLB). The Tampa Bay pitching staff have given up 92 runs so far this season while having an ERA of 3.10 (89 earned runs relinquished).

Tampa Bay relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 32.3% out of 31 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 18 times in high leverage situations and on 17 occasions with runners on base. With 17 save situations, the Rays have earned 10 holds and also 2 blown saves. They are ranked 9th in the league with a save percentage of 71.4%, and they have sent 90 bullpen pitchers to the mound this year. Tampa Bay has had relief pitchers take the mound in 7 save chances and they have tallied 5 saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten 24 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .990 (6th in baseball). The Rays have racked up 273 assists, 11 errors and have amassed 776 putouts so far this season. In 2,328 innings played, the Rays are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 72.7% (1st in MLB).

Thus far in his career, McClanahan has conceded 259 base hits and he has 377 K's in 323 innings. He has surrendered 102 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.075 and a FIP of 3.2. His K/BB ratio is 4.24 and he has faced 1,294 batters in his career. McClanahan (27-14 career win-loss record) holds a 2.84 earned run average and has conceded 7.2 hits per nine innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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