New York Mets vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 7/18/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: New York Mets vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Sunday, July 18, 2021

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: New York (-147) Pittsburgh (+115)

Chad Kuhl and the Pittsburgh Pirates (35-56, 5th in NL Central) host the New York Mets (47-41, 1st in NL East) at PNC Park on Sunday. The Pirates open this contest at +115 while the Mets are coming in at -147. The over/under is set at 8.5. The starting pitchers are Jacob deGrom and Chad Kuhl.

As a squad, the New York Mets are putting up 3.7 runs/g, which ranks them 29th in baseball. They have 328 runs and have an on-base percentage of .310. The Mets have recorded 111 doubles as a squad and have hit 88 baseballs out of the park. They have amassed 315 RBI's and 630 hits over the course of the season, while their team batting average is .229. New York has a slugging % of .370 and have been called out on strikes 756 times, while taking a walk on 276 occasions.

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The Mets have compiled a team ERA of 3.44 so far this season (4th in baseball), and the staff has rung up 809 batters. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.16 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.18. Mets pitchers have yielded 88 home runs in addition to 322 runs (1st in the league). They have walked 256 hitters and their FIP comes in at 3.70 as a squad on the season.

The Mets have sent 268 relievers to the hill over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 104 base runners so far this season and 33.7% of those runners ended up scoring. They have earned 24 saves this season and have not converted 12 out of their 36 save chances. The Mets relievers have compiled a save rate of 66.7% and stepped onto the hill in 75 save situations. The relievers have racked up 38 holds for the season (23rd in baseball). Mets pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 68 times and also have had 88 appearances in high leverage situations.

The New York Mets have amassed 2,213 putouts this season, as well as 707 assists and 47 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .984 which ranks 13th in MLB, and have accumulated 558 double plays. The Mets have converted 70.3% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 6,639 innings, which has them ranked 10th in the majors.

deGrom (77-53 win-loss mark in his career) holds a FIP of 2.64 while he has gone up against 4,978 batters in the majors. He has surrendered 980 base hits (7.0 hits per 9 innings) with 295 walks. His ERA is 2.50 (350 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.011. deGrom has taken the hill for 1,261 innings and has totaled 1,505 punch outs so far in his career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have accounted for a team on-base percentage of .307 and a team batting average of .235 this year. They have struck out on 738 instances (26th in baseball) and have totaled 705 hits. Pittsburgh has a total of 76 home runs on the season as well as 306 RBIs. The Pirates hold a team slugging % of .365 and they average 3.55 runs per outing (30th in MLB). They have 137 two-baggers, while getting a free base 289 times as well as notching 323 runs.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have given up 442 runs over the course of the season while having a team ERA of 4.82 (419 earned runs relinquished). They have surrendered 109 dingers and they concede 5.09 runs per 9 innings (23rd in the league). The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.362 and have a FIP of 4.54 as a staff over the course of the season. Their K/BB ratio is 2.22 (737 strikeouts against 332 bases on balls). They come in at 18th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 733.

Pittsburgh bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.3% out of 119 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 67 times in high leverage situations and also on 71 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 59 save situations, the Pirates have accumulated 38 holds and 5 blown saves. They are ranked 2nd in baseball with a save rate of 73.7%, and they have sent 314 relievers to the mound on the campaign. Pittsburgh has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 19 save chances and they have come away with 14 saves.

In their 7,041 innings played, the Pirates are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 69.8% (14th in baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 73 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .986 (7th in professional baseball). The Pirates have recorded 800 assists, 46 errors and are sitting with 2,347 putouts during this campaign.

Thus far in his career, Kuhl has surrendered 398 hits while he has accumulated 362 punch outs in 410 frames. Kuhl (22-28 career record) has earned a 4.41 earned run average while giving up 8.7 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 201 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.410 and a FIP of 4.6. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.00 and he has gone up against 1,774 batters thus far in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take New York (-147)

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