Detroit Tigers vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/19/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Detroit Tigers vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

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

The Detroit Tigers (60-64) are en route to PNC Park on Wednesday where they will attempt to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates (61-65). The moneyline on this matchup has the Tigers at -196 and the Pirates are coming in at +162. The betting total is set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Jackson Jobe and Paul Skenes.

The Tigers have tallied 190 doubles as a unit and have hit 150 balls out of the park. Detroit has a slugging percentage of .408 and have been rung up 1,064 times, while drawing a walk on 439 occasions. As a unit, the Detroit Tigers are scoring 4.6 runs per game, which ranks them 11th in baseball. They have amassed 538 runs batted in and 1,015 base knocks for the season, and their batting average comes in at .242. They are sitting with 565 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .319.

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The Tigers hold a team ERA of 3.55 this year (4th in the league), and their staff has struck out 1,019 hitters. Tigers pitchers have given up 123 home runs and also 482 runs in total (6th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 381 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 3.87 as a squad this year. Detroit has given up 953 hits (7.8 per 9 innings) as well as 434 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.67 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.21.

The Tigers have dispatched 383 relievers to the mound on the year. The relievers have inherited 198 runners on the year and 26.3% of them earned a run for their team. The relief pitchers have accumulated 56 holds over the course of the season (23rd in MLB). Tigers bullpen pitchers have entered the game with runners on 135 times and also have had 99 appearances in high leverage situations. They have compiled 25 saves for the season and have blown 27 of 52 save chances. The Tigers relievers have compiled a save rate of 48.1% and have come into the game in 110 save situations.

The Detroit Tigers have a total of 3,299 putouts on the year, in addition to 1,090 assists and 55 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .988 which puts them in 7th in the majors, and have a total of 95 double plays. The Tigers have converted 71.4% of balls hit into play into outs out of 9,897 innings, which ranks them 5th in baseball.

Jobe (5-2 career record) has earned a FIP of 4.20 and he has faced 273 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has given up 57 base hits (8.4 hits per 9 innings) and has had 30 walks. His ERA is 4.26 (29 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.422. Jobe has taken the hill for 61 innings and is sitting with 49 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career.

Pittsburgh has 151 home runs on the season as well as 604 RBIs. They have tallied 195 doubles, while getting a free base 450 times as well as recording 633 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have compiled an OBP of .333 as well as a team batting average of .257 this season. The Pirates hold a slugging % of .412 and they average 5.02 runs per contest (3rd in baseball). They have been rung up on 1,184 occasions (1st in the league) and have accounted for 1,116 base hits.

The Pirates hold a team WHIP of 1.322 in addition to having a FIP of 3.92 as a pitching staff on the campaign. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 9.40 (1,171 strikeouts vs 459 free passes). They are currently ranked 19th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,026. They have allowed 131 dingers and they allow 4.83 runs per 9 innings (22nd in the league). The Pittsburgh pitching staff have allowed 603 runs on the season and come in with a team ERA of 4.31 (538 earned runs conceded).

Pittsburgh bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 34.2% out of their 149 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 108 times in high leverage situations in addition to 105 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 95 save situations, the Pirates have earned 50 holds and also 20 blown saves. They rank 27th in the league holding a save rate of 54.5%, and they have sent 399 relief pitchers to the hill on the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 101 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .983 (23rd in pro baseball). The Pirates have racked up 983 assists, 76 errors and have a tally of 3,371 putouts for the season. Out of their 10,113 innings played, the Pirates have a efficiency on defense of 68.6% (27th in MLB).

In his MLB career, Skenes has allowed 344 hits while he has tallied 552 K's in 454 innings. Skenes (30-24 mark in his career) has earned a 2.54 ERA while giving up 6.8 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 128 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.001 and being the owner of a FIP of 2.5. He has a K/BB ratio of 4.97 and he has gone up against 1,800 opposing hitters so far in his pro baseball career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Detroit (-196)

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