It’s been a tale of two seasons for the Boston Red Sox. After a brutal start, trading away Rafael Devers has seemingly sparked a resurgence. They’re now firmly in the AL Wild Card race and within striking distance of the Toronto Blue Jays in the division.
As for the Pittsburgh Pirates? It’s more of the same — start to finish, they’ve been one of the worst teams in baseball. I suppose you get what you pay for.
The Red Sox enter as -181 moneyline favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at 8.5 runs. Let’s dig into a preview, prediction, and best bet for this Pirates vs. Red Sox matchup.
Pirates vs. Red Sox prediction, preview
It was a surprise to see Mitch Keller stay put at the trade deadline. With Pittsburgh well out of contention, many expected contenders to come calling. But hindsight is 20/20 — and it seems those teams were right to stay away.
Keller has allowed multiple earned runs in seven straight starts, posting a 7.59 ERA over that stretch. His command has fallen apart, walking 16 batters in 32 innings, while also serving up six home runs. It’s all gone wrong — and now he faces a potent Red Sox offense at Fenway. Good luck to him.
On the other side, Lucas Giolito is in full rebound mode for Boston. After missing the entire 2024 season, he signed with the Sox looking for a fresh start — and he’s delivered. Giolito has pitched to a 3.47 ERA across 119 innings, with improved velocity, better command, and flashes of his old dominance.
As if the gap on the field wasn’t big enough, the gap on the mound only furthers the divide between these two teams.
