The Milwaukee Brewers made some acquisitions in the past week at the MLB trade deadline with many of the players they traded for getting to play in front of their new home fans on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers (-125, 8.5)
Thursday’s starting pitcher for the Brewers, Adrian Houser, will look to rebound from allowing at least three runs in each of his past three starts, posting a a 4.43 ERA with 3.1 walks and 1.1 home runs per nine innings allowed this season.
Prior to this recent three start stretch, Houser had allowed two runs or fewer in five of his last six starts and with his most recent three starts having come against the Cincinnati Reds on the road and twice facing the Atlanta Braves, he should benefit from facing a scuffling lineup.
The Pirates are last in the National League in batting average, runs, and home runs since the start of May, averaging 3.68 runs and 0.87 home runs per game with a .226 batting average in that span and have one player on the active roster that has hit more than 12 home runs this season.
Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller will try to keep Thursday’s game a low scoring affair as he enters with a 3.97 ERA with 9.8 strikeouts and 1.1 home runs allowed per nine innings this season, with his ERA going to 4.33 in road starts.
The Brewers have an edge in the bullpen, ranking 13th in the league in bullpen ERA while the Pirates are 17th in this category and the Brewers also acquired one of the Pirates main hitters just before the trade deadline.
The Brewers traded for first baseman Carlos Santana, who in five games with the Brewers has already gotten a home run and adds pop to a Milwaukee team that is already 11th in the league in home runs hit on a per at-bay basis at home this season.
The lack of offense of the Pirates is a big reason the Pirates went 0-5 in Keller’s starts in July and with the Pirates having not won a road game started by Keller since May 31, a lack of offense will once again sink the Pirates on Thursday.
The Play: Brewers -125
