Free MLB Pick: Blue Jays vs. Pirates Odds
Looking for Toronto Blue Jays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Free MLB predictions? MLB betting sees the Blue Jays taking on the Pirates on Saturday, September 3rd, 2022 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all MLB baseball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily MLB predictions like this Blue Jays-Pirates free pick.
2022 MLB Handicapping
(71-59) Toronto Blue Jays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (49-82)
Date: Sunday, September 3rd, 2022
Time: 6:35 PM ET
Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Projected Pitchers: Trevor Richards (TOR) vs. Roansy Contreras (PIT)
MLB Moneyline Odds: Blue Jays -165 / Pirates +140
MLB run line Betting Odds: Blue Jays -1.5 (+105) / Pirates +1.5 (-125)
MLB Baseball Gambling Total: O/U: 8
The Blue Jays and Pirates will be playing the second game of their series from PNC Park on Saturday evening.
With Trevor Richards as the starter, Toronto is right around a -165 favorite on the road in this spot.
A total of 8 runs is how this game opened up and there has not been much movement from that number so far.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays did not end their last series with the Cubs as they would have wished, but they did a good job of turning the page and earning the 4-0 win on Friday over the Pirates.
We all know how bad of a team they are facing in these games, so it is very important that they just go out there and take care of their business.
When you look at how talented of a roster the Jays have, it would be a very bad look for them to drop any of these games given where they are in their season.
Alek Manoah kept up his strong season last time out as he fired 7.1 innings and allowed just five hits and no earned runs while punching out six batters.
The big right-hander was not facing an overly talented lineup, but it was clear that he had it all going and he was in command the whole way through. With a few exceptions, he has given his team a chance to win when he has taken the mound this season.
On the offensive side of things, they did not do anything great on Friday, but it still proved to be enough to get the win which is all they could really ask for.
Bo Bichette finished the night with three hits and two RBI while Santiago Espinal chipped in two hits and two RBI. It was good to see Toronto tack on those two runs in the ninth inning to really put the game out of reach for their opponent.
Trevor Richards will be getting the ball in this game and I am curious to see how long he goes. Typically he has been used a reliever so the chances of him being in there all that long are likely pretty low.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates knew they had to play a very clean brand of baseball to take down the Blue Jays and they definitely did not do so in the opener and there is a good chance they will not for the rest of this series.
I am not saying they have to be perfect to win these games, but it has to be pretty close when you look at the talent disparity between the two ball clubs.
Something that really had to frustrate the Buckos on Friday is they did not pitch horribly but still had nothing to show for it at the end of the day.
It was understood how talented the offense for the Toronto is and there was a very good chance they exploded for a lot of runs, but that did not happen. The problem is the offense just went totally cold against one of the best arms in the sport.
Pittsburgh did scatter five hits against Manoah, but I never felt like they were in any rhythm on that side of the field. Once he left the game, they were not able to do anything against the two relievers used for the Jays.
Before this series with the Blue Jays, this is a team that has already struggled with some teams from the AL East in 2022 and it makes a lot of sense. Simply put, those squads are just a lot more talented than them and they match up very well.
In a series of games like this, the margin of error is just so small for these guys that it makes it very tricky to pull off the result they want. It is always possible they could pull off the surprise victory, but that just has not been the type of team they have been this season.
Roansy Contreras will be on the hill for this one and there is no question he has seen some mixed results in his career so far, but he has looked good as of late. In his last three starts, he has been effective against the Red Sox, Braves, and Phillies and he will look to keep it up when he once again has to face a very dangerous lineup.
MLB Baseball Betting Trends:
- The Blue Jays are 7-2 in their last 9 interleague road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- The Blue Jays are 7-0 in their last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- The Pirates are 16-35 in their last 51 overall.
- The Pirates are 17-43 in their last 60 interleague games.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Prediction:
The Blue Jays followed a simple yet effective formula in the first game of this series and I look for them to repeat that here.
It is very possible that Contreras is solid to a point in this one, but he still is going to have his hands full and I expect Toronto to do enough against him and that bullpen.
Richards likely will not go all that long here and then it is in the hands of the bullpen which has not been great this season but definitely has the ability to contain an offense like this.
Normally the Jays would be a lot heavier, but I like them in this spot with the price not being too out of control.
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