San Francisco Giants vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 9/3/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: San Francisco Giants vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: San Francisco (+106) Pittsburgh (-128)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (68-71) are hosting the San Francisco Giants (57-82) at PNC Park on Thursday. The line on this contest has San Francisco at +106 and Pittsburgh is priced at -128. The total has been set at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start are Blade Tidwell and Carmen Mlodzinski.

The Giants have accounted for 230 doubles as a unit and have hit 156 balls out of the stadium. San Francisco has a slugging % of .407 and have been rung up 1,110 times, while drawing a walk on 380 occasions. As a team, the San Francisco Giants are knocking in 4.2 runs per outing, which puts them at 23rd in the league. They have recorded 558 runs batted in in addition to 1,172 hits over the course of the season, and their team batting average is .249. They have accounted for 579 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .309.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.05 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.36. Giants pitchers have surrendered 130 home runs and 650 runs (22nd in baseball). San Francisco has conceded 1,158 hits (8.5 per 9 innings) and also 598 earned runs. The Giants are sitting with a team ERA of 4.39 over the course of the season (23rd in baseball), and they have rung up 1,049 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 511 opposing hitters and their FIP is 4.16 as a unit for the year.

The Giants bullpen have accumulated a save percentage of 54.3% and have entered the game in 119 save situations. They have tallied 25 saves on the season and have blown 21 of their 46 save chances. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 241 base runners so far this year and 36.5% of those players crossing home plate. Giants pitchers have gone to the mound with players on base 156 times in addition to having 115 appearances in high leverage situations. The Giants have sent 441 relief pitchers to the mound so far this year. The bullpen have a total of 73 holds over the course of the season (17th in baseball).

The Giants have turned 69.3% of baseballs in play into outs out of 11,025 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 22nd in professional baseball. The San Francisco Giants are sitting with 3,675 putouts for the season, as well as 1,300 assists and 90 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .982 which has them ranked 26th in the majors, and they have turned 128 double plays.

Tidwell has taken the mound for 52 innings and has accumulated 41 K's in his pro baseball career. Tidwell (1-2 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 5.77 and he has faced 232 batters during his time in the major leagues. His earned run average is 5.86 (34 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.513. He has surrendered 56 hits (9.7 hits per nine innings) and has 23 walks.

Pittsburgh is sitting with 163 home runs for the season to go along with 650 RBIs. They have hit 208 doubles, while getting a free base 493 times as well as putting up 682 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have recorded a team on-base percentage of .331 and a batting average of .253 so far this season. The Pirates hold a team slugging percentage of .405 and they are scoring 4.91 runs per game (5th in the league). They have struck out on 1,325 occasions (1st in MLB) and have earned a total of 1,216 hits.

The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.319 in addition to having a FIP of 3.89 as a team this season. They come in at 15th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 1,123. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have conceded 655 runs on the year and come in with a team ERA of 4.25 (585 earned runs given up). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 9.30 (1,278 strikeouts against 513 free passes). They have surrendered 137 long balls and they relinquish 4.75 runs per 9 innings (22nd in baseball).

They rank 25th in baseball holding a save percentage of 56.0%, and they have sent 452 relief pitchers to the hill on the year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 127 times in high leverage situations and on 119 occasions with runners on. With 109 save situations, the Pirates have earned 58 holds in addition to 22 blown saves. Pittsburgh has had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 50 save opportunities and they have come away with 28 saves. Pittsburgh relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 32.4% out of their 173 inherited runners.

In 11,163 innings on the diamond, the Pirates are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 68.7% (27th in baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 114 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .982 (30th in pro baseball). The Pirates have racked up 1,094 assists, 90 errors and have earned a total of 3,721 putouts this season.

During his pro baseball career, Mlodzinski has conceded 290 base knocks and he has 256 strikeouts in 294 innings. Mlodzinski (20-22 win-loss record in his career) has earned a 3.55 earned run average while giving up 8.9 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 116 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.326 and a FIP of 3.5. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.56 and he has faced 1,260 opposing batters thus far in his career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take San Francisco (+106)

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