Pittsburgh Pirates vs Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction, 8/21/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Date: Friday, August 21, 2026

Location: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA

TV: Spectrum SportsNet LA

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+150) Los Angeles (-182)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (63-66) are en route to Dodger Stadium on Friday where they will try to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers (77-51). The line on this matchup has Pittsburgh at +150 while Los Angeles is priced at -182. The over/under comes in at 8. The men taking the mound will be Bubba Chandler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are scoring 5.0 runs per game, which puts them at 3rd in MLB. They have a total of 646 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .333. The Pirates have accumulated 198 doubles as a unit and have hit 155 baseballs out of the park. They have earned 616 runs batted in as well as 1,136 base knocks on the campaign, and their batting average is .256. Pittsburgh has a slugging % of .411 and have been called out on strikes 1,208 times, while taking a walk on 461 occasions.

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The Pirates are sitting with a team earned run average of 4.29 on the year (21st in baseball), and their staff has rung up 1,196 hitters. Pirates pitchers have surrendered 133 home runs in addition to 615 runs (25th in the league). They have walked 471 opposing players and their FIP is 3.92 as a unit for the year. Pittsburgh has yielded 1,051 base hits (8.2 per 9 innings) in addition to 549 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.54 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.32.

Pirates relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 106 times in addition to having 109 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 50 holds this season (29th in the league). The Pirates relief pitchers have accumulated a save rate of 55.6% and have come into the game in 96 save situations. They have compiled 25 saves for the season and have blown 20 out of their 45 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 151 runners so far this season and 34.4% of those runners ended up scoring. The Pirates have dispatched 409 relief pitchers to the hill for the season.

The Pirates have converted 68.5% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 10,356 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 27th in pro baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates are sitting with 3,452 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 1,013 assists and 81 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .982 which has them sitting 25th in the majors, and they have turned 104 double plays.

Chandler has taken the hill for 152 frames and has tallied 139 punch outs during his MLB career. His ERA is 4.20 (71 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.281. He has surrendered 127 base hits (7.5 hits per 9 innings) and has 68 free passes. Chandler (10-9 win-loss mark in his career) sits with a FIP of 4.14 while he has gone up against 652 batters during his time in the majors.

Los Angeles is sitting with 166 home runs for the year as well as 605 runs batted in. They have 210 two-baggers, while taking a walk 469 times as well as earning 640 runs. The Los Angeles Dodgers hold a team OBP of .335 and a batting average of .260 this year. The Dodgers have a slugging percentage of .430 and they score 5.00 runs per game (4th in MLB). They have been rung up on 1,000 occasions (25th in the league) and have notched a total of 1,121 base hits.

The Dodgers have a WHIP of 1.167 in addition to having a FIP of 3.94 as a pitching staff for the season. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.20 (1,154 strikeouts vs 401 bases on balls). They are currently ranked 2nd in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 920. They have conceded 147 long balls and they relinquish 3.93 runs per 9 innings (4th in the league). The Los Angeles pitching staff have given up 495 runs this season while having a team ERA of 3.70 (466 earned runs conceded).

With 138 save situations, the Dodgers have earned 83 holds and 18 blown saves. Los Angeles has had relief pitchers enter the contest in 54 save opportunities and they have come away with 36 saves. Los Angeles relief pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 36.3% out of 146 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 126 times in high leverage situations and also on 90 occasions with runners on. They are ranked 13th in baseball holding a save percentage of 66.7%, and they have sent 414 bullpen pitchers onto the field this season.

In 10,194 innings played, the Dodgers hold a defensive efficiency of 72.6% (1st in MLB). The Los Angeles Dodgers have turned 71 double plays and have a fielding rate of .988 (3rd in pro baseball). The Dodgers have accrued 1,036 assists, 52 errors and have earned a total of 3,398 putouts for the season.

During his MLB career, Yamamoto has allowed 287 hits while accumulating 442 strikeouts in 408 innings pitched. He has conceded a total of 120 ER's while holding a WHIP of 0.985 and having a FIP of 2.6. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.84 and he has faced 1,608 hitters in his career. Yamamoto (31-17 career win-loss record) has earned a 2.65 earned run average while surrendering 6.3 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Los Angeles (-182)

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