The Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals will continue their four-game series in Pittsburgh on Tuesday after the Pirates defeated the Nationals, 10-3, on Monday in the series opener. The Pirates improved to 6-11 overall this season and snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory. The Nationals fell to 6-10 overall and have lost three straight games.
Paul Skenes held Washington to just three base runners and two runs (one earned) with six strikeouts over six innings on Monday. The Pirates went 4-3 against Washington last season and have won the season series in each of the previous three years.
First pitch from PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pa., is set for 6:40 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh is a -137 favorite on the money line (risk $137 to win $100) in the latest Pirates vs. Nationals odds, while Washington is a +116 underdog. The over/under is 8.5 in the latest MLB odds via SportsLine consensus. Before making any Nationals vs. Pirates picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times and performs well in betting picks. Now, the model has set its sights on Pirates vs. Nationals and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks.
Why the Nationals Can Cover
James Wood, who was the top prospect in baseball last year, is proving his worth with five home runs, 11 RBIs, and 10 runs scored over his first games this season.
The Nationals start right-handed pitcher Jake Irvin, who has a 5.63 ERA over three starts this season. His previous innings were against elite teams, indicating potential for improvement against the Pirates, who struggle in batting average.
Why the Pirates Can Cover
The Pirates scored 10 runs against the Nationals on Monday, showcasing a strong offense. They had numerous players perform well, including shortstop turned outfielder Oneil Cruz.
The Pirates will start right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller, who threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings last outing and is expected to perform well against the struggling Nationals.
How to Make Nationals vs. Pirates Picks
SportsLine’s model favors the Over on total runs and suggests one side of the money line shows better value. You can check the model’s picks here.
