Pittsburgh Pirates vs Miami Marlins Prediction, 3/31/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Miami Marlins

Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024

Location: loanDepot park in Miami, FL

TV: Bally Sports Florida

The Pittsburgh Pirates (76-86 last year) are en route to loanDepot park on Sunday where they will go up against the Miami Marlins (84-77 last season). The pitchers taking the mound will be Bailey Falter and Trevor Rogers.

As a unit, the Pittsburgh Pirates scored 4.3 runs per game, which put them at 22nd in MLB. They racked up 692 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .315. The Pirates tallied 287 two-baggers as a squad and knocked 159 balls out of the park. They amassed 662 runs batted in and 1,293 base knocks last year, while their average at the plate sat at .239. Pittsburgh had a slugging percentage of .392 and struck out 1,464 times, while taking a walk on 556 occasions.

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The Pirates compiled a team earned run average of 4.60 over the course of the prior season (22nd in MLB), and the staff struck out 1,363 batters. Pirates pitchers gave up 179 home runs and 790 runs in total (22nd in baseball). They walked 596 opposing batters and their FIP came in at 4.40 as a team last season. Pittsburgh conceded 1,380 base knocks (8.7 per 9 innings) and 731 earned runs. They had a K/BB ratio of 2.29 and their pitching staff earned a collective WHIP of 1.38.

The Pirates bullpen had a save percentage of 69.1% and entered the game in 160 save situations. The relief pitchers inherited 231 base runners last season with 33.8% of those players earned a run for their team. Pirates bullpen pitchers stepped onto the hill with runners on 156 times in addition to having 170 games in high leverage situations. The Pirates had dispatched 529 relievers to the hill over the course of last season. The bullpen notched 88 holds during the previous year (13th in baseball). They compiled 47 saves during the previous year and did not convert 21 of their 68 chances to save the game.

The Pittsburgh Pirates notched a total of 4,290 putouts in the previous season, in addition to 1,403 assists and 91 errors. Their fielding rate held steady at .984 which had them sitting 20th in MLB, and they twisted 135 double plays. The Pirates turned 68.6% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 12,870 innings on the diamond, which ranked them 18th in the majors.

Falter has taken the mound for 198 innings and has accounted for 168 strikeouts during his pro baseball career. Falter (10-14 career record) has a FIP of 4.75 while he has faced 835 opposing hitters during his time in the majors. His ERA is 4.76 (105 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.291. He has conceded 213 hits (9.7 hits per nine innings) and has 43 walks.

The Marlins held a team slugging percentage of .405 and they tallied 4.12 runs per contest (26th in the league). They recorded 259 doubles, while walking 430 times and scoring 668 runs. Miami tallied 166 home runs in the prior season and 635 runs batted in. They were rung up on 1,288 occasions (26th in the league) and were sitting with 1,427 base knocks. The Miami Marlins had an OBP of .317 and a team batting average of .259 in the prior season.

The Marlins finished with a team WHIP of 1.293 and were the owners of a FIP of 4.13 as a team last season. They had a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.30 (1,490 strikeouts against 514 bases on balls). They ranked 17th in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,341. They yielded 191 long balls and they allowed 4.53 runs per 9 innings (17th in baseball). The Miami pitching staff given up 723 runs in the previous season while having an ERA of 4.22 (673 earned runs surrendered).

Miami called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 74 save opportunities and they tallied 43 saves. They were ranked 21st in MLB with a save rate of 58.1%, and they dispatched 544 relievers to the hill last year. Their bullpen pitchers took the field 210 times in high leverage situations and on 160 occasions with runners on. Miami bullpen pitchers had an inherited score percentage of 28.9% out of 232 inherited base runners. Wrapping up the year with 166 save situations, the Marlins compiled 91 holds and 31 blown saves.

In their 12,918 innings on the diamond, the Marlins had a defensive efficiency of 68.3% (23rd in baseball). The Miami Marlins had 144 double plays and earned a fielding percentage of .983 (24th in professional baseball). The Marlins accrued 1,412 assists, 97 errors and a tally of 4,306 putouts during the previous year.

Rogers (13-23 record in his career) holds a 4.12 ERA while conceding 8.5 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.92 and he has faced 1,236 hitters thus far in his career. He has conceded a total of 131 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.332 and having a FIP of 3.5. In his MLB career, Rogers has conceded 271 base hits while he has earned 321 punch outs in 286 frames.

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

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Miami

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