The Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres will play at PETCO Park in San Diego. The Padres have a record of 71-60 and are in second place in the NL West. They have won their last three games and are 7-3 in their last ten.
The Pirates have a record of 63-69 and are fourth in the NL Central. They have lost their last three games and are 5-5 in their last ten. This game is set for Monday, August 24, 2026, at 9:40 PM and will be shown on SN PT.
Pittsburgh Pirates Team Preview
The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming off a tough series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They lost all three games, but two of those losses were by just one run. In the last game, they managed only two hits and were shut out by the Dodgers’ pitching.
The Pirates have shown some strength in their batting lineup this season. They hold a third-place rank with a .254 batting average. Brandon Lowe leads the team with 27 home runs and 80 RBIs, making him a key player to watch.
On the pitching side, Braxton Ashcraft is set to start the next game against the San Diego Padres. He has a 13-5 record with a 3.68 ERA this season. The Pirates’ pitching staff ranks ninth in batting average against, limiting opposing hitters to a .239 average.
San Diego Padres Team Preview
The San Diego Padres have been on a strong winning streak. They won their last three games against the Minnesota Twins. In those games, they showed good hitting and pitching, outscoring the Twins by a total of 21-8.
Fernando Tatis Jr. has been a key player for the Padres. In the game on August 23rd, he had two home runs and four RBIs. His overall batting average stands at .290, making him a top performer in the lineup.
The Padres’ pitching has also been effective. Walker Buehler had a standout performance against the Twins, allowing just one earned run over six innings. Robbie Ray is set to pitch in the next game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Betting Prediction
The Pirates have a solid batting average, ranking third, but they face the Padres, who have a strong pitching staff. The Padres have an earned run average ranked 11th. This suggests they can limit the Pirates’ scoring opportunities.
Both teams have good pitching, with low opposing batting averages. The Pirates rank ninth in batting average against, while the Padres rank tenth. This indicates runs may be hard to come by in this game.
The total for the game is set at 7.5, which is low. With both teams having capable pitching, it is likely the game stays under this total. The Padres also have the fourth fewest blown saves, helping keep scores low.
- Pick: Total Under 7.5 (-115)
