The Yankees (5-2) head to Pittsburgh looking to extend their winning streak to three games when they face the struggling Pirates (2-6) on Saturday. New York dominated the series opener with a convincing 9-4 victory on Friday.
The Pirates are going through a rough patch, losing five of their last six games. But there’s a glimmer of hope for Pittsburgh fans – they managed to win two out of three against the Yankees last season.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park.
The Yankees enter as clear favorites at -164, while the Pirates are +130 underdogs. Oddsmakers have set the over/under at 9.5 runs.
SportsLine’s prediction model, which simulates every game 10,000 times and has been on fire with a 34-18 record on top MLB run line picks since 2023, has some interesting insights for today’s matchup.
## Pirates to win (+140)
Despite Friday’s lopsided result, the model actually likes Pittsburgh’s chances in game two with Marcus Stroman taking the mound for New York.
Stroman struggled with control last year, watching his WHIP climb to a concerning 1.47 with the Yankees. His 2024 debut didn’t inspire much confidence either – he gave up three earned runs in less than five innings of work.
The model predicts the Pirates will score around 4.5 runs and gives them a solid 42% chance of winning, making the +140 odds at BetMGM pretty attractive for bettors.
## Aaron Judge Total RBI Over 0.5 (-115)
Judge has been absolutely crushing it this season. He leads MLB in both RBIs (17) and home runs (6).
The Yankees slugger drove in two more runs during Friday’s win and has recorded at least one RBI in four of his seven games this year.
He’s also had Pittsburgh’s number throughout his career, racking up 15 hits and 10 RBIs against them.
The Pirates’ pitching staff hasn’t exactly been shutting teams down either – they’ve allowed 40 runs so far, ranking seventh-worst in the majors.
## Jasson Dominguez Over 0.5 Total Hits (-210)
Dominguez is off to a hot start this season, hitting .292 with seven hits already.
The young Yankee went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in Friday’s game, including a double. He’s now collected multiple hits in three straight games.
Pittsburgh starter Bailey Falter looked shaky in his season debut against Miami, surrendering seven hits. FanDuel has this prop at -210.
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