Blue Jays vs. Pirates Prediction, Odds, Probable Pitchers and Prop Bets for Wednesday, Aug. 20

The Blue Jays are favored in their series finale on Wednesday.

The Toronto Blue Jays are 15-11 with pitcher Chris Bassit on the mound this season. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays have split their first two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates in their early-week series, and they find themselves as road favorites on Wednesday afternoon.

This matchup will kick off a 15-game slate in MLB, as first pitch is set for 12:35 p.m. EST at PNC Park.

Chris Bassit (4.22 ERA) is on the mound for the Jays, who have gone 15-11 in the righty’s 26 starts this season. The Pirates will counter with Johan Oviedo, who made his 2025 debut on Aug. 4, allowing two hits, two runs and three walks in one inning against the San Francisco Giants.

Can the Blue Jays wrap up this series with a win and keep their five-game cushion atop the AL East?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to bet on in the prop market and my prediction for this series finale. 

Blue Jays vs. Pirates Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Run Line

• Blue Jays -1.5 (+112)
• Pirates +1.5 (-137)

Moneyline

• Blue Jays: -164
• Pirates: +134

Total

• 8.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Blue Jays vs. Pirates Probable Pitchers

• Toronto: Chris Bassit (11-6, 4.22 ERA)
• Pittsburgh: Johan Oviedo (0-0, 18.00 ERA)

Blue Jays vs. Pirates How to Watch

• Date: Wednesday, Aug. 20
• Time: 12:35 p.m. EST
• Venue: PNC Park
• How to Watch (TV): SportsNet PT, SNET
• Blue Jays record: 74-53
• Pirates record: 53-74

Blue Jays vs. Pirates Best MLB Prop Bets

Pirates Best MLB Prop Bet

• Johan Oviedo 2+ Walks (-130)

It’s unclear how long Oviedo will pitch in this matchup, as he’s recovering from Tommy John surgery, but the righty walked three batters in just one inning of work in his 2025 debut.

In the 2023 season (his last full season before the injury), Oviedo struggled with his control, walking 83 batters in 177.2 innings – 4.2 walks per nine innings. Now, he has a tough matchup against a Toronto team that is No. 10 in MLB in walks drawn in 2025.

There is some volatility if Oviedo exits this game early – or is on a pitch-count limit – but I think two or more walks is pretty reasonable after he struggled in his season debut. 

Blue Jays vs. Pirates Prediction and Pick

This is a tougher game to handicap since we’ve only seen Oviedo once in the 2025 season, but it’s unlikely he’ll pitch deep into this game – especially after his struggles back on Aug. 4. 

The Pirates have a 4.20 bullpen ERA this season, and I have a hard time betting on them with an unknown on the mound since they’ve scored the fewest runs in MLB.

Bassitt has not been great this season – he has an expected ERA of 4.21 (37th percentile) – but he has led the Jays to a winning record in his starts. Overall, the veteran right-hander has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 18 of his 26 starts. 

An outing like that should be enough to get a win against this offensively-challenged Pirates squad. 

Pick: Blue Jays Moneyline (-164 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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