Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/14/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Friday, August 14, 2026

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Boston (-122) Pittsburgh (+102)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (58-64) will play the Boston Red Sox (64-56) at PNC Park on Friday. The moneyline on this matchup has Boston at -122 while Pittsburgh is at +102. The betting total is set at 9. The pitchers taking the mound are Jake Bennett and Bubba Chandler.

Boston has a slugging rate of .401 and have been called out on strikes 981 times, while taking a walk on 377 occasions. They have amassed 507 runs batted in as well as 993 hits over the course of the season, while their average at the plate is at .248. The Red Sox have accrued 216 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 121 balls out of the park. They have a total of 531 runs and have an OBP of .320. As a team, the Boston Red Sox are scoring 4.4 runs per outing, which ranks them 16th in MLB.

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Their K/BB ratio is 3.04 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.23. Red Sox pitchers have yielded 117 home runs in addition to 452 runs (1st in the league). Boston has conceded 969 base knocks (8.2 per 9 innings) as well as 416 earned runs. The Red Sox have compiled a team earned run average of 3.51 for the year (3rd in the league), and the staff has rung up 1,029 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 339 hitters and their FIP sits at 3.66 as a unit so far this year.

Red Sox pitchers have come into the game with players on base 95 times in addition to having 107 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 75 holds so far this year (7th in MLB). The Red Sox bullpen have a save rate of 75.6% and have entered the game in 122 save situations. They have compiled 34 saves so far this season and have not converted 11 of 45 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 130 base runners on the year and 32.3% of them crossing home plate. The Red Sox have sent 373 relievers to the mound so far this year.

The Boston Red Sox have a total of 3,202 putouts this year, in addition to 1,042 assists and 59 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .986 which ranks 13th in pro baseball, and have a total of 84 double plays. The Red Sox have transformed 69.6% of balls hit into play into outs in their 9,606 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 17th in the majors.

Bennett (7-5 career record) has a FIP of 3.14 while he has gone up against 305 batters during his time in the major leagues. He has given up 64 base hits (7.6 hits per nine innings) and has 16 free passes. His earned run average is 3.19 (27 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.050. Bennett has pitched in 76 innings and is sitting with 55 strikeouts thus far in his career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates hold a team on-base percentage of .333 as well as a team batting average of .255 over the course of the season. They have struck out on 1,150 instances (1st in the league) and have earned 1,074 base hits. Pittsburgh has 145 home runs on the season as well as 577 runs batted in. The Pirates hold a team slugging % of .409 and they average 4.95 runs per contest (4th in baseball). They have tallied 188 two-baggers, while getting a free base 440 times as well as putting up 604 runs.

The Pirates are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.331 and have a FIP of 3.96 as a team on the season. They rank 19th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 1,000. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have surrendered 591 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 4.35 (526 earned runs given up). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 9.30 (1,127 strikeouts vs 447 bases on balls). They have conceded 128 long balls and they allow 4.89 runs per 9 innings (24th in the league).

Pittsburgh relievers have an inherited score percentage of 34.7% out of their 147 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have taken the field 108 times in high leverage situations and on 104 occasions with runners on base. With 94 save situations, the Pirates have accumulated 50 holds and 20 blown saves. They are currently ranked 27th in baseball holding a save rate of 53.5%, and they have sent 387 bullpen pitchers to the hill over the course of the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 96 double plays and have a fielding rate of .983 (23rd in the majors). The Pirates have recorded 949 assists, 73 errors and have a tally of 3,263 putouts on the season. In their 9,789 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have earned a defensive efficiency of 68.6% (27th in baseball).

In his career, Chandler has allowed 123 hits while he has tallied 134 K's in 147 frames. He has allowed a total of 69 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.284 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.2. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.03 and he has gone up against 632 hitters in his pro baseball career. Chandler (9-9 career record) has earned a 4.22 earned run average and has given up 7.5 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Boston (-122)

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