Pittsburgh Pirates vs New York Mets Prediction, 3/29/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs New York Mets

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026

Location: Citi Field in Queens, NY

TV: Sportsnet New York

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+120) New York (-144)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (71-91 last year) are en route to Citi Field on Sunday where they will take on the New York Mets (83-79 last season). The line on this matchup has Pittsburgh at +120 while New York is priced at -144. The over/under is 8. The pitchers expected to start will be Carmen Mlodzinski and Nolan McLean.

The Pirates accumulated 245 doubles as a squad and hit 117 balls out of the stadium. Pittsburgh had a slugging rate of .350 and struck out 1,422 times, while taking a walk on 530 occasions. As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates knocked in 3.6 runs per contest, which ranked them 30th in the league. They tallied 561 runs batted in as well as 1,244 base knocks in the previous season, while their team batting average sat at .231. They notched a total of 583 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .305.

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They earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.78 and their pitching staff held a collective WHIP of 1.22. Pirates pitchers yielded 153 long balls and also 645 runs in total (5th in MLB). Pittsburgh conceded 1,267 base knocks (8.0 per 9 innings) and also 598 earned runs. The Pirates compiled a team ERA of 3.76 for the previous season (7th in baseball), and their staff rung up 1,314 batters. They walked 473 opposing hitters and their FIP finished at 3.83 as a squad for the prior year.

Pirates bullpen pitchers came into the game with runners on base 143 times and also had 161 outings in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers finished with 76 holds last year (24th in baseball). The Pirates bullpen accumulated a save percentage of 58.1% and entered the game in 141 save situations. They accumulated 36 saves over the course of last season and did not convert 26 of 62 save opportunities. The relief pitchers inherited 218 runners last season with 35.3% of those players crossed home plate. The Pirates had sent 510 relievers to the mound over the course of the prior season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates amassed 4,292 putouts over the course of last season, as well as 1,334 assists and 77 errors. Their fielding percentage held at .986 which had them sitting 12th in professional baseball, and had a total of 118 double plays. The Pirates turned 70.7% of baseballs in play into outs out of 12,876 innings on the field, which ranked them 9th in professional baseball.

Mlodzinski has thrown 185 innings and has earned 169 strikeouts so far in his MLB career. His ERA is 3.26 (67 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.269. He has given up 171 hits (8.3 hits per nine innings) and has had 64 walks. Mlodzinski (13-16 career mark) sits with a FIP of 3.21 and he has gone up against 780 batters during his time in the majors.

The New York Mets accounted for a team OBP of .326 in addition to a batting average of .249 last year. They struck out on 1,325 occasions (21st in the league) and notched a total of 1,359 base hits. New York hit 224 HRs for the previous season to go along with 746 RBIs. The Mets had a SLG% of .427 and they scored 4.73 runs per contest (9th in MLB). They hit 262 doubles, while taking a walk 563 times as well as recording 766 runs.

The Mets had a team WHIP of 1.323 and had a FIP of 3.88 as a pitching staff for the prior year. They earned a K/BB ratio of 8.70 (1,387 strikeouts against 556 walks). They were ranked 18th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 1,338. They surrendered 149 homers and they yielded 4.49 runs per 9 innings (18th in the league). The New York pitching staff yielded 715 runs over the course of the prior season while having an ERA of 4.03 (641 earned runs given up).

New York relief pitchers held an inherited score percentage of 35.0% out of their 257 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers stepped onto the mound 185 times in high leverage situations in addition to 176 occasions with base runners. Finishing with 170 save situations, the Mets had 101 holds and 28 blown saves. They were ranked 23rd in the league with a save rate of 58.8%, and they dispatched 541 bullpen pitchers to the mound last season. New York had bullpen pitchers enter the game in 68 save chances and they walked away with 40 saves.

In 12,888 innings on the diamond, the Mets held a defensive efficiency of 68.8% (25th in pro baseball). The New York Mets turned 119 double plays and had a fielding percentage of .986 (13th in pro baseball). The Mets recorded 1,475 assists, 79 errors and are sitting with 4,296 putouts during the previous year.

During his pro baseball career, McLean has surrendered 34 base knocks while tallying 57 strikeouts in 48 frames. He has surrendered a total of 11 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.042 and being the owner of a FIP of 2.0. His K/BB ratio is 3.56 and he has gone up against 188 batters so far in his MLB career. McLean (5-1 win-loss record in his career) has a 2.06 ERA while giving up 6.4 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take New York (-144)

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