Pirates vs. Padres Prediction, Odds and Probable Pitchers for Tuesday, Aug. 13 (Can Pitt Cover?)

Things have not been going well for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they dropped an eighth consecutive game on Monday night, dropping them 1.5 games behind the Cincinnati Reds for last place in the NL Central.

It’s been a disappointing stretch for a promising young team, but the Pirates will look to get back on track with Luis L. Ortiz on the mound on Tuesday against the San Diego Padres.

San Diego has given the Pirates trouble over multiple series this month, and it has Michael King on the bump looking for his 10th win of the 2024 season.

With the Padres surging for a playoff spot in the NL while the Pirates’ hopes are all but gone, how should we bet on Game 2 of this early-week series?

Let’s dive into the odds, probable pitchers and my prediction for Tuesday night’s contest.

Pirates vs. Padres Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Run Line

Pirates +1.5 (-122)
Padres -1.5 (+102)

Moneyline

Pirates: +170
Padres: -230

Total

8 (Over -108/Under -112)

Pirates vs. Padres Probable Pitchers

Pirates: Luis L. Ortiz (5-2, 3.40 ERA)
Padres: Michael King (9-6, 3.34 ERA)

Pirates vs. Padres How to Watch

Date: Tuesday, Aug. 13
Time: 9:40 p.m. EST
Venue: Petco Park
How to Watch (TV): AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, MLB Extra Innings
Pirates record: 56-62
Padres record:67-53

Pirates vs. Padres Key Players to Watch

Pittsburgh Pirates

Oneil Cruz: The Pirates mustered just one run on Monday, but Oneil Cruz was in the center of everything on offense, picking up two hits to raise his batting average to .261 on the season. The shortstop is one of the best young players in baseball, and the Pirates are hoping he can close out this season strong to bring some momentum into 2025.

San Diego Padres

Michael King: A former reliever, King has thrived with the Padres in a starting role, posting a 3.34 ERA and leading them to a 15-8 record when he takes the mound in 2024. King has been terrific in five starts since the start of July, posting a 2.43 ERA and 2.10 FIP while leading San Diego to a 4-1 record.

Pirates vs. Padres Prediction and Pick

I’m going with a contrarian play in this one, as the Pirates could have some value despite entering this game on an eight-game skid.

Pittsburgh comes into this game with the second-best record in MLB on the run line (66-52), and it has thrived on the road (37-23) when it comes to covering. Now, the Pirates aren’t winning games as of late, but they aren’t getting blown out either.

Over this eight-game losing streak, the Pirates have five losses by one run, including three of them against this Padres team.

With the Pirates set as massive underdogs against King and company tonight, I can’t help but take them to at least cover here. Not only will Pittsburgh eventually pick up a win, but it has played an insane 43 games that were decided by one run or less in 2024.

If there was ever a buy-low spot for this Pirates team, this is it.

Pick: Pirates +1.5 (-122)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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