Pittsburgh Pirates vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 7/8/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+126) Kansas City (-152)

The Kansas City Royals (43-48) host the Pittsburgh Pirates (38-53) at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday. The moneyline on this contest has the Pirates at +126 and the Royals are at -152. The over/under comes in at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Mitch Keller and Seth Lugo.

The Pirates have compiled 118 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 61 baseballs out of the park. Pittsburgh has a slugging percentage of .341 and have been rung up 797 times, while drawing a walk on 288 occasions. As a unit, the Pittsburgh Pirates are knocking in 3.4 runs per game, which is 29th in the league. They have amassed 300 runs batted in in addition to 694 base knocks for the season, while their batting average is at .231. They have accumulated 310 runs and hold an OBP of .303.

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Their K/BB ratio is 2.54 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.19. Pirates pitchers have allowed 78 home runs and also 347 runs in total (4th in MLB). Pittsburgh has allowed 690 base hits (7.7 per 9 innings) and 323 earned runs. The Pirates have a team earned run average of 3.61 so far this season (7th in baseball), and they have rung up 680 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 268 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 3.78 as a team so far this year.

Pirates bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 85 times as well as having 92 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have recorded 43 holds for the season (24th in baseball). The Pirates bullpen have recorded a save rate of 54.5% and have entered the game in 78 save situations. They have recorded 18 saves over the course of the season and have blown 15 of their 33 chances to get a save. The relievers have inherited 134 base runners this year with 32.8% of those players crossed home plate. The Pirates have sent 280 relievers to the hill this season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a tally of 2,413 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 791 assists and 42 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .987 which ranks 11th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 75 double plays. The Pirates have converted 71.8% of baseballs in play into outs in their 7,239 innings on the field, which has them sitting 2nd in the majors.

Keller has thrown 807 frames and has racked up 771 K's so far in his career. Keller (39-60 career record) has a FIP of 4.40 and he has faced 3,514 opposing hitters during his time in the majors. His ERA is 4.47 (401 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.385. He has allowed 844 hits (9.4 hits per 9 innings) and has 274 free passes.

Kansas City has 63 home runs on the year to go along with 300 runs batted in. They have recorded 155 doubles, while taking a walk 217 times as well as putting up 304 runs. The Kansas City Royals have a team OBP of .299 as well as a team batting average of .243 on the year. The Royals have a team SLG% of .365 and they average 3.34 runs per game (30th in the league). They have struck out on 631 occasions (28th in baseball) and have earned a total of 740 hits.

The Kansas City pitching staff have relinquished 334 runs on the season and come in with a team ERA of 3.48 (312 earned runs given up). They have allowed 92 dingers and they surrender 3.72 runs per 9 innings (3rd in MLB). The Royals hold a team WHIP of 1.218 and have a FIP of 3.82 as a team on the year. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.20 (738 strikeouts against 264 bases on balls). They are sitting at 12th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 720.

Kansas City has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 36 save chances and they have walked away with 27 saves. They are ranked 2nd in the league with a save percentage of 75.0%, and they have sent 295 bullpen pitchers to the mound on the year. Their relief pitchers have come in 101 times in high leverage situations and on 91 occasions with base runners. Kansas City relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 30.8% out of their 130 inherited runners. With 86 save situations, the Royals have accumulated 49 holds and also 9 blown saves.

The Kansas City Royals have turned 70 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .988 (6th in professional baseball). The Royals have recorded 802 assists, 39 errors and are sitting with 2,424 putouts over the course of the season. In their 7,272 innings played, the Royals have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 70.9% (9th in professional baseball).

Lugo (62-45 career mark) has earned a 3.31 ERA and has given up 7.9 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.63 and he has gone up against 3,866 opposing hitters during his MLB career. He has given up 346 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.147 and having a FIP of 3.3. During his career, Lugo has allowed 830 base knocks while he has accumulated 912 K's in 942 frames.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+126)

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