Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/16/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Sunday, August 16, 2026

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Boston (-160) Pittsburgh (+132)

PNC Park is where the Pittsburgh Pirates (59-64) will attempt to beat the Boston Red Sox (65-56) on Sunday. The moneyline on this contest has the Red Sox at -160 while the Pirates are at +132. The betting total comes in at 8.5. The starting pitchers will be Patrick Sandoval and Paul Skenes.

As a team, the Boston Red Sox are notching 4.5 runs per contest, which has them sitting at 16th in baseball. They have a total of 538 runs and have an on-base percentage of .321. The Red Sox have hit 217 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 122 balls out of the park. They have accumulated 514 runs batted in as well as 1,003 base knocks for the season, while their average at the plate is .248. Boston owns a slugging percentage of .401 and have been called out on strikes 987 times, while being walked on 382 occasions.

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They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.02 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.22. Red Sox pitchers have conceded 117 home runs in addition to 452 runs (1st in baseball). Boston has given up 971 hits (8.1 per 9 innings) and 416 earned runs. The Red Sox have compiled a team earned run average of 3.48 over the course of the season (3rd in the league), and they have struck out 1,034 batters. They have walked 342 players from the other team and their FIP is 3.66 as a team this year.

The Red Sox relievers have earned a save percentage of 75.6% and have come into the game in 122 save situations. They have compiled 34 saves on the campaign and have blown 11 of 45 chances to get a save. The relievers have inherited 130 runners on the season and 32.3% of those players crossing home plate. Red Sox bullpen pitchers have entered the game with players on base 95 times in addition to having 107 appearances in high leverage situations. The Red Sox have dispatched 374 relief pitchers to the mound this season. The relievers have notched 75 holds on the year (8th in MLB).

The Red Sox have turned 69.8% of baseballs in play into outs out of 9,687 innings on the diamond, ranking them 15th in baseball. The Boston Red Sox have a tally of 3,229 putouts on the year, in addition to 1,051 assists and 59 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .986 which ranks 13th in professional baseball, and they have turned 86 double plays.

Sandoval (20-46 career win-loss mark) holds a FIP of 3.92 and he has gone up against 2,470 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has conceded 548 base hits (8.7 hits per 9 innings) and has 249 free passes. His earned run average is 3.98 (250 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.408. Sandoval has taken the ball for 566 frames and has accumulated 558 punch outs during his MLB career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have an OBP of .334 and a batting average of .256 so far this year. They have been rung up on 1,159 occasions (1st in the league) and have tallied 1,090 hits. Pittsburgh is sitting with 149 home runs so far this season as well as 589 runs batted in. The Pirates have a team slugging percentage of .412 and they earn 5.02 runs per game (3rd in baseball). They have recorded 189 doubles, while taking a walk 444 times as well as putting up 617 runs.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have conceded 592 runs on the year while having an ERA of 4.33 (527 earned runs given up). They have conceded 129 homers and they concede 4.86 runs per 9 innings (23rd in baseball). The Pirates have a WHIP of 1.324 in addition to having a FIP of 3.95 as a pitching staff for the season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 9.30 (1,137 strikeouts vs 448 free passes). They come in at 19th in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,003.

Pittsburgh relievers hold an inherited score rate of 34.7% of 147 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 108 times in high leverage situations and on 104 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 94 save situations, the Pirates have earned 50 holds and 20 blown saves. They sit at 27th in MLB with a save percentage of 53.5%, and they have dispatched 387 bullpen pitchers to the hill so far this year.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 99 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .983 (23rd in baseball). The Pirates have 961 assists, 74 errors and have amassed 3,290 putouts for the year. Out of their 9,871 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 68.7% (27th in the majors).

During his career, Skenes has conceded 344 hits while he has tallied 552 punch outs in 454 innings pitched. Skenes (30-24 career record) has earned a 2.54 ERA and has surrendered 6.8 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 128 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.001 and having a FIP of 2.5. He has a K/BB ratio of 4.97 and he has gone up against 1,800 batters in his pro baseball career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+132)

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