If the Pittsburgh Pirates really want to shock people and stick around in the NL Central, then they need to start performing better on the road. The Pirates have lost their last six games away from PNC Park while being outscored 33-11 in those contests. Can the Pirates bounce back after a 12-4 thumping at the hands of the Washington Nationals when they take the field in the nation’s capital Wednesday?
- The Pirates are 3-13 SU in their last 16 games on the road against the Nationals.
- The Pirates are batting .234 on the road compared to .281 at home.
- The Nationals have outscored opponents 18-7 during their current 3-game winning streak.
Ivan Nova, who will start for the Pirates in this one, has really stepped up for the Bucs in the first full season without Gerrit Cole in the rotation. Nova has allowed just one run in his last two starts without surrendering a single walk over 14.0 innings. He just needs to keep the ball in the yard, which has been an issue for him at times this season.
The Nationals will start Stephen Strasburg, who has been battling inconsistency all season long. The righty enters this start coming off maybe his worst outing of the season, as he surrendered six hits and five runs in 6.1 innings of work. That was the first time Strasburg had yielded five or more earned runs since July 8, 2017, a span of 18 starts.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Betting fans looking to pick the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates before the first pitch in this match found them as +185 moneyline underdogs earlier today at Sportsbook. They saw the OVER/UNDER total of 7.5 earlier at Sportsbook.
Prediction-scoring formulas run on this game pick a potential 3.0-2.2 result in favor of the Nationals. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming MLB matchups here.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Washington Nationals Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
14-16 Washington battles the Pirates, currently with a 17-13 mark. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Washington vs Pittsburgh injuries news.
The OddsShark MLB Power Rankings have the Nationals at No. 9 and the Pirates at No. 18 heading into this contest.
Statistical Matchup
At the plate, Washington owns the No. 17 ranking for hits at 8.2 per game. By contrast, the Pittsburgh Pirates are rated No. 5 in the same category at 8.83 per game.
Washington owns the No. 13 defense, allowing 3.9 men per game to cross the plate. That contrasts with Pittsburgh's No. 17-rated defense.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Pirates were saddled with a loss last time out in Chad Kuhl's start, as they lost 12-4 against Washington on Tuesday at Nationals Park.
- Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
- Pittsburgh is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
- Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
- Pittsburgh is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Washington
- Washington is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
- Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington's last 10 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Washington's last 12 games at home
Next Betting Matchups
Pittsburgh at Washington, Thursday, May 3
