Pittsburgh Pirates vs Miami Marlins Prediction, 3/28/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Miami Marlins

Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024

Location: loanDepot park in Miami, FL

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+110) Miami (-130)

loanDepot park is the location where the Miami Marlins (84-77 last season) will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (76-86 last year) on Thursday. The line on this contest has the Pirates at +110 while the Marlins are priced at -130. The total is set at 7.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Mitch Keller and Jesus Luzardo.

Pittsburgh had a slugging percentage of .392 and struck out 1,464 times, while drawing a walk on 556 occasions. They accumulated 662 runs batted in in addition to 1,293 base knocks last year, while their batting average finished at .239. The Pirates hit 287 two-baggers as a team and hit 159 baseballs out of the stadium. They had 692 runs scored and held an OBP of .315. As a unit, the Pittsburgh Pirates earned 4.3 runs per contest, which was 22nd in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio was at 2.29 and their pitching staff held a collective WHIP of 1.38. Pirates pitchers yielded 179 home runs and 790 total runs (22nd in the league). Pittsburgh surrendered 1,380 hits (8.7 per 9 innings) and also 731 earned runs. The Pirates held a team earned run average of 4.60 last year (22nd in the league), and their staff rung up 1,363 hitters. Their pitching staff walked 596 hitters and their FIP was 4.40 as a team over the course of last season.

The Pirates relief pitchers recorded a save percentage of 69.1% and stepped onto the mound in 160 save situations. The relievers inherited 231 base runners over the course of the prior season and 33.8% of those players earned a run for their team. Pirates relief pitchers entered the contest with players on base 156 times as well as having 170 contests in high leverage situations. The Pirates had sent 529 relievers to the hill over the course of last year. The bullpen racked up 88 holds for the previous season (13th in the league). They tallied 47 saves last season and missed out on 21 out of their 68 save opportunities.

The Pittsburgh Pirates finished with 4,290 putouts last season, in addition to 1,403 assists and 91 errors. Their fielding percentage held steady at .984 which ranked 20th in pro baseball, and had 135 double plays. The Pirates turned 68.6% of balls hit into play into outs out of 12,870 innings, which ranked them 18th in the majors.

Keller has taken the hill for 523 frames and has tallied 521 punch outs thus far in his career. Keller (25-38 career win-loss record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.99 while he has gone up against 2,296 opposing batters in the majors. His earned run average is 4.71 (274 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.449. He has surrendered 561 hits (9.6 hits per 9 innings) and has had 198 free passes.

The Miami Marlins recorded an OBP of .317 and a team batting average of .259 over the course of last season. They were rung up on 1,288 occasions (26th in the league) and had a total of 1,427 base hits. Miami had 166 home runs last year in addition to 635 RBIs. The Marlins held a team SLG% of .405 and they earned 4.12 runs per game (26th in MLB). They recorded 259 doubles, while taking a walk 430 times and notching 668 runs.

The Marlins held a team WHIP of 1.293 in addition to having a FIP of 4.13 as a squad over the course of last year. They had a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.30 (1,490 strikeouts against 514 bases on balls). They ranked 17th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,341. They surrendered 191 homers and they allowed 4.53 runs per 9 innings (17th in MLB). The Miami pitching staff given up 723 runs in the previous season while holding a team ERA of 4.22 (673 earned runs conceded).

Miami bullpen pitchers had an inherited score percentage of 28.9% out of their 232 inherited runners. Their relievers took the field 210 times in high leverage situations and also on 160 occasions with runners on. Wrapping up the year with 166 save situations, the Marlins had 91 holds and also 31 blown saves. They ranked 21st in baseball holding a save percentage of 58.1%, and they dispatched 544 bullpen pitchers to the mound last season. Miami had relief pitchers enter the contest in 74 save chances and they walked away with 43 saves.

Out of their 12,918 innings played, the Marlins had a defensive efficiency of 68.3% (23rd in baseball). The Miami Marlins had 144 double plays and held a fielding percentage of .983 (24th in professional baseball). The Marlins recorded 1,412 assists, 97 errors and are sitting with 4,306 putouts over the course of last season.

In his pro baseball career, Luzardo has surrendered 400 base knocks while earning 501 punch outs in 445 frames. He has allowed a total of 207 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.253 and a FIP of 3.9. His K/BB ratio is 3.17 and he has faced 1,872 batters in his career. Luzardo (23-28 career mark) has a 4.18 earned run average while giving up 8.1 hits per 9 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+110)

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