Pittsburgh Pirates vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 7/9/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+162) Kansas City (-196)

Kauffman Stadium is the location where the Kansas City Royals (44-48) will meet the Pittsburgh Pirates (38-54) on Wednesday. The odds on this game have the Pirates at +162 and the Royals are coming in at -196. The betting total comes in at 8. The pitchers expected to start will be Bailey Falter and Kris Bubic.

As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are notching 3.4 runs per game, which puts them at 30th in baseball. They have a total of 313 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .302. The Pirates have hit 118 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 62 baseballs out of the park. They have accounted for 303 RBI's and 698 base knocks on the year, while their average at the plate is at .230. Pittsburgh is slugging .339 and have struck out 805 times, while taking a walk on 291 occasions.

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The Pirates have a team ERA of 3.68 this season (7th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 685 hitters. Pirates pitchers have surrendered 82 home runs and 356 total runs (7th in MLB). They have walked 269 opposing players and their FIP is 3.83 as a squad over the course of the season. Pittsburgh has given up 702 hits (7.8 per 9 innings) in addition to 332 earned runs. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.55 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.20.

The Pirates relief pitchers have earned a save rate of 54.5% and have stepped onto the mound in 78 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 134 base runners for the year with 32.8% of them ended up crossing the plate. Pirates relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on 85 times and also have had 92 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have dispatched 283 relievers to the mound for the season. The relievers have earned 43 holds this season (24th in MLB). They have recorded 18 saves over the course of the season and have blown 15 of their 33 chances to save the game.

The Pirates have converted 71.8% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 7,311 innings on the field, which has them sitting at 2nd in MLB. The Pittsburgh Pirates have accounted for 2,437 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 801 assists and 42 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .987 which is 10th in the majors, and they have turned 76 double plays.

Falter has taken the mound for 432 frames and has earned 321 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career. Falter (24-27 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 4.37 and he has gone up against 1,798 batters in the majors. His earned run average is 4.43 (213 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.267. He has surrendered 428 base hits (8.9 hits per nine innings) and has 120 free passes.

Kansas City has hit 67 HRs on the year as well as 309 runs batted in. They have recorded 157 two-baggers, while taking a walk 218 times as well as putting up 313 runs. The Kansas City Royals have an on-base percentage of .299 and a batting average of .244 on the year. The Royals have a SLG% of .371 and they earn 3.40 runs per game (29th in MLB). They have been called out on strikes on 636 occasions (29th in the league) and have 752 hits.

The Royals hold a team WHIP of 1.213 and have a FIP of 3.82 as a unit on the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.20 (746 strikeouts vs 267 bases on balls). They are currently ranked 12th in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 724. They have given up 93 homers and they concede 3.71 runs per 9 innings (3rd in the league). The Kansas City pitching staff have given up 337 runs so far this year while holding a team ERA of 3.47 (315 earned runs surrendered).

Kansas City has had bullpen pitchers step onto the mound in 36 save chances and they have come away with 27 saves. They sit at 2nd in the league holding a save rate of 75.0%, and they have sent 297 relievers to the mound so far this year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 101 times in high leverage situations and also on 91 occasions with base runners. Kansas City relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 30.8% out of their 130 inherited base runners. With 86 save situations, the Royals have amassed 49 holds and 9 blown saves.

The Kansas City Royals have turned 71 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .988 (6th in MLB). The Royals have 814 assists, 40 errors and have amassed 2,451 putouts this season. In 7,353 innings played, the Royals have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 71.0% (7th in professional baseball).

In his career, Bubic has given up 460 base hits while tallying 435 strikeouts in 458 frames. He has given up a total of 211 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.404 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.1. His K/BB ratio is 2.38 and he has faced 1,972 opposing hitters so far in his MLB career. Bubic (18-35 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a 4.15 earned run average and has given up 9.0 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+162)

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