Toronto Blue Jays vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 5/5/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Friday, May 5, 2023

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Toronto (-145) Pittsburgh (+125)

The Toronto Blue Jays (18-13) are hitting the road to PNC Park on Friday where they will try to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (20-11). The moneyline on this game has the Blue Jays at -145 while the Pirates are coming in at +125. The over/under is set at 9. The starting pitchers will be Chris Bassitt and Rich Hill.

As a squad, the Toronto Blue Jays are notching 4.7 runs per game, which ranks them 11th in MLB. They have earned 146 runs while holding a team OBP of .330. The Blue Jays have accounted for 53 two-baggers as a unit and have smacked 35 balls out of the park. They have accrued 137 runs batted in and 271 base knocks so far this year, while their batting average comes in at .254. Toronto has a slugging percentage of .407 and have been rung up 247 times, while being walked on 109 occasions.

The Blue Jays are sitting with a team ERA of 4.12 so far this season (13th in MLB), and their staff has rung up 290 hitters. Blue Jays pitchers have surrendered 42 long balls in addition to 139 total runs (15th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 90 hitters and their FIP is 4.38 as a team on the season. Toronto has allowed 253 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) in addition to 125 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.22 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.26.

Blue Jays bullpen pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 34 times as well as having 33 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have notched 20 holds this year (10th in MLB). The Blue Jays bullpen have a save percentage of 78.6% and has come into the game in 34 save situations. They have compiled 11 saves so far this season and have blown 3 of their 14 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 50 base runners so far this season with 24.0% of them earned a run for their team. The Blue Jays have sent 106 relievers to the hill over the course of the season.

The Blue Jays have converted 69.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of 2,457 innings, which has them sitting at 15th in MLB. The Toronto Blue Jays have accounted for 819 putouts on the year, in addition to 240 assists and 17 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .984 which is 21st in MLB, and have a total of 25 double plays.

Bassitt has taken the ball for 770 innings and has accumulated 699 strikeouts during his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.53 (302 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.198. He has surrendered 679 hits (7.9 hits per nine innings) and has 244 walks. Bassitt (49-36 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.90 and he has gone up against 3,232 batters during his time in the major leagues.

Pittsburgh has recorded 35 HRs this year as well as 150 runs batted in. They have recorded 66 two-baggers, while taking a walk 121 times and notching 158 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have recorded an OBP of .339 in addition to a team batting average of .259 for the season. The Pirates hold a team slugging percentage of .442 and they earn 5.10 runs per game (10th in baseball). They have been rung up on 248 occasions (23rd in the league) and have notched a total of 268 base hits.

The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.317 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.86 as a pitching staff this year. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.80 (269 strikeouts vs 107 bases on balls). They are sitting at 15th in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 254. They have allowed 26 long balls and they relinquish 3.94 runs per 9 innings (8th in baseball). The Pittsburgh pitching staff have surrendered 120 runs on the year while having an ERA of 3.61 (110 earned runs surrendered).

Pittsburgh relievers have an inherited score rate of 21.4% out of their 28 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 29 times in high leverage situations in addition to 18 occasions with runners on. With 42 save situations, the Pirates have 25 holds and 3 blown saves. They are currently ranked 1st in baseball with a save rate of 81.3%, and they have dispatched 91 relief pitchers onto the diamond so far this year. Pittsburgh has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 16 save chances and they have walked away with 13 saves.

In 2,472 innings on the diamond, the Pirates hold a defensive efficiency of 68.7% (19th in the majors). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 23 double plays and have a fielding rate of .982 (26th in baseball). The Pirates have recorded 244 assists, 20 errors and have earned a total of 824 putouts so far this season.

In his MLB career, Hill has conceded 1,101 hits while he has earned 1,321 punch outs in 1,291 innings pitched. He has surrendered 553 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.233 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.0. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.69 and he has faced 5,418 hitters in his pro baseball career. Hill (85-61 career mark) holds a 3.85 ERA and has surrendered 7.7 hits per nine innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+125)

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