Pittsburgh Pirates at San Francisco Giants odds, picks and predictions

The Pittsburgh Pirates (26-26) open a 3-game series against the San Francisco Giants (27-26) Monday. First pitch from Oracle Park is at 5:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Pirates vs. Giants odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: First meeting

The Pirates have lost 6 of their last 8 games and have started a 6-game road trip by dropping 2 of 3 at the Seattle Mariners over the weekend. Pittsburgh won the series opener but lost 6-3 in 10 innings Sunday and 5-0 Saturday.

The Giants failed to complete the sweep of a 4-game series over the Milwaukee Brewers with a 7-5 loss Sunday. San Francisco returns home after winning 5 games across a 7-game road trip last week.

Pirates at Giants projected starters

LHP Rich Hill vs. RHP Anthony DeSclafani

Hill (4-4, 4.27 ERA) makes his 11th start. He has a 1.39 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 8.9 K/9 through 52 2/3 IP.

• Last start: Loss, 5 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 9 K in a 6-1 loss vs. the Texas Rangers Tuesday
• Career vs. Giants: 8-2 with a 2.34 ERA across 18 starts

DeSclafani (3-4, 3.43 ERA) makes his 11th start. He has a 1.04 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9 and 7.0 K/9 through 60 1/3 IP.

• 0-3 with a 5.64 ERA over his last 4 starts
• Career vs. Pirates: 3-7 with a 5.13 ERA across 17 starts

Pirates at Giants odds

BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:07 a.m. ET.

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Pirates at Giants picks and predictions

Prediction

Pirates 4, Giants 3

The Pirates have won their last 2 series openers they have played and then have lost 2 in a row. They are 14-13 on the road this season and Hill has had great career success against the Giants.

San Francisco is 10-3 in its last 13 games and DeSclafani has not been as effective in his last 4 starts and has struggled throughout his career against the Pirates.

If there is a game in this series to pick the underdog Pirates to win, it is this one.

BET PIRATES (+115).

The Pirates are 27-25 ATS on the season while the Giants are 27-26 ATS.

The Pirates are 21-18 ATS as the underdog, but betting them on the moneyline is far more profitable. Of the last 6 games they covered, they won 5 of them outright.

PASS.

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Four of the 6 games these teams played against each other last season had totals of fewer than 9 runs.

Ten of the Pirates’ last 17 games have had 8 or fewer total runs.

Five of the Giants’ last 7 outings have had 8 or fewer.

BET UNDER 8.5 (-115).

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