Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 4/20/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Saturday, April 20, 2024

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: NESN

Odds/Point Spread: Boston (+105) Pittsburgh (-130)

PNC Park is the location where the Pittsburgh Pirates (11-8) will take on the Boston Red Sox (10-10) on Saturday. The moneyline on this contest has Boston at +105 while Pittsburgh is priced at -130. The total has been set at 8.5. The expected starting pitchers will be Kutter Crawford and Mitch Keller.

As a team, the Boston Red Sox are recording 4.3 runs per outing, which is 17th in baseball. They have earned 85 runs scored and have an OBP of .298. The Red Sox have hit 26 doubles as a unit and have hit 24 balls out of the stadium. They have amassed 80 RBI's and 151 hits so far this season, and their average at the plate is .224. Boston has a slugging rate of .378 and have been called out on strikes 202 times, while drawing a walk on 67 occasions.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.57 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.14. Red Sox pitchers have surrendered 17 long balls in addition to 81 runs in total (15th in the league). Boston has conceded 156 hits (7.7 per 9 innings) as well as 55 earned runs. The Red Sox have an ERA of 2.70 so far this year (1st in baseball), and they have struck out 189 hitters. They have walked 53 opposing players and their FIP sits at 3.37 as a squad this year.

The Red Sox bullpen have accumulated a save percentage of 53.8% and has come into the game in 25 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 22 base runners over the course of the season and 36.4% of those players ended up scoring. Red Sox relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 19 times as well as having 35 appearances in high leverage situations. The Red Sox have sent 63 relief pitchers to the mound for the year. The relief pitchers have recorded 12 holds for the year (8th in MLB). They have accumulated 7 saves on the campaign and have missed out on 6 of their 13 save opportunities.

The Boston Red Sox have 550 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 176 assists and 20 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .973 which puts them in 30th in the majors, and have earned 11 double plays. The Red Sox have converted 69.3% of balls hit into play into outs in their 1,650 innings, ranking them 19th in pro baseball.

Crawford has taken the hill for 230 frames and has racked up 238 strikeouts during his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.34 (111 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.204. He has allowed 202 base knocks (7.9 hits per nine innings) and has 75 walks. Crawford (9-15 career record) holds a FIP of 3.91 while he has gone up against 957 opposing hitters in the major leagues.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have recorded an OBP of .332 and a team batting average of .244 for the season. They have struck out on 190 occasions (4th in MLB) and are sitting with 164 base hits. Pittsburgh has hit 16 long balls on the season as well as 87 runs batted in. The Pirates have a team slugging % of .361 and they earn 4.84 runs per game (12th in the league). They have put up 29 two-baggers, while getting a free base 88 times and scoring 92 runs.

The Pirates have a WHIP of 1.169 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.57 as a squad on the season. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.50 (161 strikeouts vs 52 free passes). They rank 14th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 148. They have yielded 16 long balls and they allow 4.26 runs per 9 innings (11th in the league). The Pittsburgh pitching staff have allowed 81 runs on the season while having a team ERA of 3.95 (75 earned runs relinquished).

Pittsburgh has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 13 save chances and they have converted 6 saves. They rank 23rd in baseball holding a save rate of 46.2%, and they have sent 65 bullpen pitchers onto the field so far this year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 30 times in high leverage situations and on 26 occasions with runners on base. Pittsburgh relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 25.0% out of 40 inherited base runners. With 25 save situations, the Pirates have accumulated 12 holds in addition to 7 blown saves.

In 1,542 innings on the diamond, the Pirates are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 70.2% (12th in MLB). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 19 double plays and have a fielding rate of .980 (24th in the majors). The Pirates have recorded 155 assists, 14 errors and have earned 514 putouts for the season.

During his pro baseball career, Keller has given up 589 hits while tallying 542 strikeouts in 547 frames. He has given up a total of 286 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.450 and having a FIP of 4.0. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.64 and he has gone up against 2,402 batters thus far in his career. Keller (27-39 career mark) has earned a 4.70 ERA and has surrendered 9.7 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (-130)

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