Toronto Blue Jays vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 5/6/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Toronto (-165) Pittsburgh (+140)

The Toronto Blue Jays (18-14) are en route to PNC Park on Saturday where they will try to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates (20-12). The odds on this game have the Blue Jays at -165 while the Pirates are coming in at +140. The total has been set at 9. The starting pitchers will be Jose Berrios and Johan Oviedo.

Toronto has a slugging percentage of .407 and have struck out 247 times, while taking a walk on 109 occasions. They have recorded 137 runs batted in as well as 271 hits so far this year, while their team batting average is sitting at .254. The Blue Jays have earned 53 doubles as a unit and have hit 35 baseballs out of the stadium. They have earned a total of 146 runs scored and have an OBP of .330. As a team, the Toronto Blue Jays are scoring 4.7 runs per game, which has them at 11th in MLB.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.22 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.26. Blue Jays pitchers have given up 42 home runs in addition to 139 runs in total (15th in MLB). Toronto has conceded 253 hits (8.3 per 9 innings) as well as 125 earned runs. The Blue Jays hold a team earned run average of 4.12 this year (13th in the league), and the staff has struck out 290 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 90 opposing players and their FIP sits at 4.38 as a unit for the season.

The Blue Jays relievers have recorded a save percentage of 78.6% and has entered the game in 34 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 50 base runners for the year with 24.0% of them crossed the plate. Blue Jays pitchers have entered the contest with runners on 34 times in addition to having 33 appearances in high leverage situations. The Blue Jays have dispatched 106 relievers to the hill on the season. The bullpen have tallied 20 holds over the course of the season (10th in MLB). They have compiled 11 saves so far this year and have blown 3 of their 14 save chances.

The Toronto Blue Jays have amassed 819 putouts for the season, in addition to 240 assists and 17 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .984 which ranks 21st in pro baseball, and they have turned 25 double plays. The Blue Jays have turned 69.0% of balls in play into outs out of their 2,457 innings on the field, which has them sitting 15th in professional baseball.

Berrios (74-57 career record) holds a FIP of 4.03 while he has faced 4,483 opposing batters in the major leagues. He has allowed 1,010 base knocks (8.6 hits per nine innings) with 318 walks. His earned run average is 4.27 (502 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.256. Berrios has taken the ball for 1,057 innings and has accumulated 1,040 K's so far in his MLB career.

Pittsburgh is sitting with 35 HRs over the course of the season to go along with 150 runs batted in. They have recorded 66 doubles, while taking a walk 121 times and putting up 158 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have accumulated an OBP of .339 in addition to a team batting average of .259 on the campaign. The Pirates have a slugging percentage of .442 and they tally 5.10 runs per contest (10th in the league). They have been called out on strikes on 248 occasions (23rd in baseball) and have earned 268 hits.

The Pirates have a WHIP of 1.317 and have a FIP of 3.86 as a team over the course of the season. They rank 15th in MLB as a staff in total hits given up with 254. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have conceded 120 runs this year while holding a team ERA of 3.61 (110 earned runs given up). They have earned a K/BB ratio of 8.80 (269 strikeouts against 107 bases on balls). They have surrendered 26 long balls and they allow 3.94 runs per 9 innings (8th in baseball).

Sitting with 42 save situations, the Pirates have earned 25 holds and 3 blown saves. Pittsburgh has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the game in 16 save opportunities and they have tallied 13 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 29 times in high leverage situations in addition to 18 occasions with base runners. Pittsburgh relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 21.4% out of their 28 inherited base runners. They rank 1st in the league with a save rate of 81.3%, and they have sent 91 relievers onto the field so far this season.

In 2,472 innings on the field, the Pirates are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 68.7% (19th in baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 23 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .982 (26th in the majors). The Pirates have accrued 244 assists, 20 errors and have a tally of 824 putouts this season.

So far in his MLB career, Oviedo has allowed 169 hits while accumulating 151 strikeouts in 175 innings pitched. He has conceded 86 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.434 and a FIP of 4.5. His strikeout to walk ratio is 1.84 and he has faced 789 batters thus far in his career. Oviedo (6-13 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a 4.42 ERA while giving up 8.7 hits per 9 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+140)

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