The Yankees (74-73, 35-37 away) travel to take on the Pirates (69-78, 37-38 home) in game one of this interleague matchup. Gerrit Cole is getting the start for the Yankees while Johan Oviedo is starting for the Pirates. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh Pirates showdown at PNC Park.

NEW YORK YANKEES VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +139

This game will be played at PNC Park at 6:35 ET on Friday, September 15th.

WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES:

  • In their five most recent games as the favorite, the Yankees have gone just 2-3 straight-up.
  • The Pirates are riding a three game home win streak heading into today’s game.
  • The Pirates are 2-1 in Johan Oviedo’s last five starts.

NEW YORK YANKEES SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

The Yankees’ record of 74-73 has them ranked 5th in the AL East. So far, they have a below .500 series record of 19-21-7. This season, they have gone 39-36 at home and 35-37 on the road.

As he gets ready to face the Pirates, New York’s Gerrit Cole has registered a quality start in each of his last four appearances. So far this season, Cole has taken the mound 30 times and holds a 13-4 record with an ERA of 2.79. Opposing hitters have managed to hit just .210 against him, with an OPS of .594. He has also struck out 204 batters while walking 45 in 2021.

Gerrit Cole was unable to secure the victory in his most recent start, despite completing a quality start. The Yankees fell to the Brewers 4-3, but Cole was impressive on the mound, going seven innings and not allowing a single earned run.

Having gone deep 3 times in their last five games, the Yankees are 9th in that span. At 4.2 runs per game, New York is 22nd in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .226 while hitting a total of 205 home runs (6th).

Over the Yankees’ last ten games, Jasson Domínguez has been a major contributor to the team’s offense, leading with two home runs and a season-long total of four. Despite his impressive power numbers, Domínguez’s overall batting average stands at .258. Unfortunately, he is currently listed as out on the injury report.

WILL THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Coming in with an overall record of 69-78, the Pirates are winners of four straight games. Through 46 series, they are 16-25-5 and in 4th place in the NL Central. At home, they have gone 37-38 compared to 32-40 on the road.

Johan Oviedo is making his 30th start of the season, with an 8-14 record and a 4.34 ERA. He has held opposing batters to a .233 average, and teams have a .386 slugging percentage against him. On the road, Oviedo is 4-8 with a 5.89 ERA, while at home he has gone 4-6 with an ERA of 4.75.

Johan Oviedo squared off against the Braves in his most recent start, surrendering three runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings. Despite not being credited with a win or a loss, the Pirates emerged victorious, 8-4.

Over their last five games, the Pirates are ranked 13th in the league in scoring at 3.6 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.2 per contest puts them 22nd in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Pittsburgh is 18th, with an OBP currently sitting at .313. The team’s collective batting average is .237 (18th).

Over the Pirates’ past five contests, Bryan Reynolds has been the leader in home runs with one. This season he has hit 21 long balls and is batting .272.