Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 9/5/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: MASN

The Pittsburgh Pirates (65-73) are hosting the Washington Nationals (62-76) at PNC Park on Thursday. The expected starting pitchers will be Jake Irvin and Bailey Falter.

The Nationals have hit 233 doubles as a unit and have hit 116 balls out of the park. Washington has a slugging percentage of .379 and have been called out on strikes 1,027 times, while taking a walk on 394 occasions. As a squad, the Washington Nationals are putting up 4.2 runs per game, which ranks them 21st in the league. They have tallied 547 runs batted in and 1,123 base knocks this season, while their batting average sits at .245. They have a total of 581 runs scored and hold an OBP of .311.

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The Nationals have a team ERA of 4.30 on the campaign (24th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,118 batters. Nationals pitchers have conceded 144 home runs and 652 total runs (24th in MLB). They have walked 402 hitters and their FIP is 3.96 as a team over the course of the season. Washington has given up 1,239 hits (9.1 per 9 innings) as well as 585 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.78 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.34.

The Nationals relievers have a save percentage of 66.0% and has come into the game in 122 save situations. The relievers have inherited 189 base runners over the course of the season and 35.4% of them earned a run for their team. Nationals relief pitchers have entered the game with players on base 131 times in addition to having 117 appearances in high leverage situations. The Nationals have sent 481 relievers to the mound so far this year. The relief pitchers have notched 69 holds so far this year (16th in the league). They have earned 35 saves for the season and have missed out on 18 of 53 chances to get a save.

The Nationals have turned 67.2% of baseballs in play into outs in their 11,010 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 29th in MLB. The Washington Nationals have 3,670 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 1,214 assists and 92 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .982 which has them sitting 27th in the majors, and they have turned 135 double plays.

Irvin (12-18 career win-loss mark) sits with a FIP of 4.24 while he has faced 1,189 opposing hitters in the majors. He has allowed 269 hits (8.6 hits per 9 innings) and has 94 free passes. His ERA is 4.31 (135 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.287. Irvin has taken the hill for 282 frames and has tallied 235 punch outs in his career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have earned a team on-base percentage of .302 as well as a team batting average of .236 on the year. They have been called out on strikes on 1,284 occasions (4th in the league) and have accounted for 1,108 hits. Pittsburgh has recorded 137 home runs over the course of the season to go along with 561 RBIs. The Pirates hold a team SLG% of .373 and they score 4.22 runs per contest (20th in baseball). They have put up 200 doubles, while taking a walk 409 times as well as scoring 582 runs.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have surrendered 625 runs for the year while holding a team ERA of 4.10 (560 earned runs relinquished). They have conceded 145 dingers and they concede 4.58 runs per 9 innings (19th in the league). The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.305 with a FIP of 4.06 as a unit on the year. Their K/BB ratio sits at 8.40 (1,151 strikeouts against 428 bases on balls). They rank 24th in MLB as a staff in total hits given up with 1,176.

With 127 save situations, the Pirates have tallied 67 holds and 26 blown saves. Pittsburgh has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 59 save chances and they have come away with 33 saves. Their relievers have come in 150 times in high leverage situations and also on 112 occasions with runners on. Pittsburgh relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 34.1% out of their 167 inherited base runners. They rank 27th in the league holding a save rate of 55.9%, and they have sent 424 relievers onto the diamond on the season.

In their 11,067 innings on the field, the Pirates have a efficiency on defense of 68.8% (23rd in MLB). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 119 double plays and have a fielding rate of .985 (14th in MLB). The Pirates have racked up 1,181 assists, 73 errors and have a total of 3,689 putouts on the campaign.

So far in his career, Falter has allowed 329 base hits while he has totaled 249 punch outs in 314 innings. Falter (16-21 career win-loss mark) has earned a 4.65 ERA while giving up 9.4 hits per nine innings. He has conceded a total of 162 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.295 and a FIP of 4.6. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.23 and he has gone up against 1,316 batters thus far in his career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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