The Milwaukee Brewers are flying higher than any other team in the MLB right now. The same cannot be said for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Tuesday’s game showed the vast gap between these teams. The Brewers have surged to capture the best record in the league, and aren’t looking back. Pittsburgh is lagging towards the bottom of the National League once again. Not even the best pitcher in baseball, Paul Skenes, could stop the Brew Crew from stampeding on Tuesday.
The Brewers are a -199 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at 7.5 runs. Let’s dig into a preview, prediction, and best bet for this Pirates vs. Brewers game.
Pirates vs. Brewers prediction, preview
There’s no Paul Skenes on the mound in this one, but the pitching matchup remains compelling.
Mitch Keller must be a bit surprised to still be in a Pirates uniform. The 29-year-old is in the midst of a career year on the mound and was a prime trade candidate at the deadline. Evidently, GM Ben Cherington did not like what he was offered and held onto Keller. This stretch run feels like an audition for an offseason trade, and it should be a good one.
Keller has found immense success with his fastball this season. After a 2024 season full of unsuccessful tinkering with his pitch mix, he’s striking a good balance this year. He’s keeping the walks down, avoiding barrels, and has the make of a good mid-rotation starter. That may be wasted in Pittsburgh but it’s a problem for the Brewers in this matchup.
Luckily for Milwaukee, Brandon Woodruff takes the mound. His return from a two-year injury absence could not be going better. Baseball Savant has charted him with a 2.16 expected ERA, striking out 34.9% of batters he faces while walking only 4.7%. He’s adjusted his pitch mix to incorporate more cutters. That has worked like a charm. In this kind of form, a feeble Pittsburgh offense won’t stand much of a chance, especially if Oneil Cruz is unable to play.
The Brew Crew has been the best team in baseball by leaps and bounds over the last month. The Pirates don’t stand a chance.
