The Pittsburgh Pirates return home to PNC Park to start a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET. These teams met just last week in San Francisco, where the Pirates won all three games by a combined score of 10-6.
Pittsburgh enters the matchup at 48-64 overall and 31-25 at home. San Francisco sits at 56-56 and 28-30 on the road. Both teams are looking to build momentum after ending their weekend series with wins. Pittsburgh beat Colorado 9-5 on Sunday, while San Francisco put up 12 runs in a win over the Mets.
PIT Preview – Oviedo Makes Long-Awaited Return
Right-hander Johan Oviedo is back on the mound for Pittsburgh after missing nearly two full seasons. He had Tommy John surgery in December 2023 and has been working back through the minors since June. In five minor league starts during his rehab, he struck out 21 batters and posted a 3.12 ERA over 17.1 innings.
Oviedo replaces Bailey Falter, who was traded to the Royals before the deadline. The Pirates bullpen is stretched, giving up 20 earned runs across their last 24 innings. David Bednar and Caleb Ferguson are still reliable, but others like Tanner Rainey and Chase Shugart have been hit hard in recent outings.
Offensively, Spencer Horwitz is leading the way. He went 9-for-20 over the past five games and had a six-RBI day on Sunday. Despite recent success, Pittsburgh is scoring just 3.56 runs per game. Their offense ranks low in most categories, and the team has been more successful when holding opponents under four runs.
SF Preview – Verlander Seeks Back-to-Back Wins
Justin Verlander will start for the Giants. He’s 1-8 with a 4.53 ERA this season but has improved lately. He beat the Braves on July 23 and pitched five solid innings against Pittsburgh on July 29, allowing just one run with seven strikeouts.
The Giants average 4.15 runs per game and are allowing 4.08. Their bullpen has been one of the best in baseball, with a 3.19 ERA. Tyler Rogers, Randy Rodriguez, and Camilo Doval have been key arms. Verlander has a 3.36 ERA in nine career starts against the Pirates.
San Francisco is 4-1 in their last five road games. They have also hit the first-five-innings moneyline in nine of their last 14 road games. The team has been strong on the mound but has hit the under in 37 of their last 67 games, showing they lean on pitching to win close games.
Betting Prediction
The Giants come in as -152 favorites with the total set at 8 runs. The Pirates are +105 underdogs at home. Verlander has looked sharper in his last two starts and should have the edge against a lineup that has struggled to score consistently this season.
Pittsburgh may get a lift from Oviedo, but it’s hard to predict how sharp he’ll be after such a long layoff. The Giants’ bullpen depth, recent road form, and edge on the mound all point toward a San Francisco win. Look for the Giants to control the later innings and win by multiple runs. Final score prediction: Giants 5, Pirates 3.
Pick: Giants -152
