Tampa Bay Rays vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 6/21/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Friday, June 21, 2024

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

PNC Park is the location where the Pittsburgh Pirates (36-38) will go up against the Tampa Bay Rays (35-39) on Friday. The men taking the mound will be Ryan Pepiot and Luis Ortiz.

Tampa Bay has a slugging rate of .357 and have struck out 667 times, while being walked on 233 occasions. They have earned 267 RBI's in addition to 572 hits this year, while their team batting average is at .232. The Rays have hit 109 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 61 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accumulated 288 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .307. As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are putting up 3.9 runs/g, which has them sitting at 26th in baseball.

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The Rays have a team earned run average of 4.42 over the course of the season (25th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 642 batters. Rays pitchers have surrendered 102 home runs in addition to 359 runs (25th in baseball). They have walked 206 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.29 as a team for the year. Tampa Bay has relinquished 651 base hits (8.8 per 9 innings) and also 328 earned runs. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.12 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.28.

Rays relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on 59 times as well as having 111 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have a total of 43 holds this season (12th in the league). The Rays relief pitchers have a save percentage of 60.5% and has come into the game in 83 save situations. They have compiled 23 saves over the course of the season and have blown 15 out of their 38 save chances. The relievers have inherited 83 runners for the season and 31.3% of them crossed home plate. The Rays have sent 252 relief pitchers to the mound for the year.

The Tampa Bay Rays have accounted for 2,002 putouts so far this season, in addition to 563 assists and 39 errors. Their fielding rate is at .985 which puts them in 13th in MLB, and have a total of 49 double plays. The Rays have turned 69.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 6,006 innings, which has them sitting 23rd in baseball.

Pepiot (9-5 career mark) has a FIP of 3.52 while facing 571 opposing batters in the majors. He has surrendered 102 hits (6.5 hits per 9 innings) and has 51 walks. His ERA is 3.57 (56 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.084. Pepiot has taken the mound for 141 innings and is sitting with 152 strikeouts in his pro baseball career.

Pittsburgh has knocked in 68 long balls on the year to go along with 288 RBIs. They have notched 108 doubles, while getting a free base 234 times and putting up 299 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have tallied an on-base percentage of .298 and a team batting average of .230 this year. The Pirates hold a team slugging percentage of .360 and they are earning 4.04 runs per game (22nd in baseball). They have struck out on 707 occasions (4th in the league) and have earned a total of 578 hits.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have given up 324 runs for the year while having an ERA of 3.91 (288 earned runs conceded). They have given up 78 home runs and they relinquish 4.40 runs per 9 innings (16th in baseball). The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.271 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.96 as a unit for the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.50 (627 strikeouts vs 225 bases on balls). They are sitting at 20th in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 618.

Pittsburgh relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 32.0% of 100 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 92 times in high leverage situations and also on 67 occasions with base runners. With 75 save situations, the Pirates have accumulated 38 holds and also 15 blown saves. They are ranked 23rd in the league with a save rate of 58.3%, and they have sent 232 bullpen pitchers onto the field over the course of the season. Pittsburgh has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 36 save chances and they have earned 21 saves.

Out of their 5,970 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have earned a defensive efficiency of 69.4% (19th in MLB). The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 56 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .985 (17th in pro baseball). The Pirates have racked up 626 assists, 41 errors and have accumulated 1,990 putouts over the course of the season.

Ortiz (8-9 record in his career) has a 4.07 earned run average while surrendering 8.6 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.45 and he has faced 648 opposing batters during his career. He has conceded 66 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.474 and a FIP of 4.0. So far in his pro baseball career, Ortiz has given up 140 hits while tallying 109 punch outs in 146 innings pitched.

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

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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