MLB picks: Braves vs. Pirates, Yankees vs. Mariners
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. (Photo by Icon Sportswire)
July 6th, 2021
Let’s tackle the Tuesday MLB slate and highlight our top two plays!
Leading off is a look at a matchup between the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Then we’ll preview a late-night battle between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners.
Atlanta Braves (41-43) at Pittsburgh Pirates (31-53), 7:05 p.m. ET
Under bettors should cash with room to spare as the Braves play the Pirates on Tuesday night.
Ian Anderson gets the nod for Atlanta, and he boasts a 2.66 ERA through eight starts on the road this year. He’s produced a 2.45 ERA in his last three outings overall.
Anderson should make light work of a Pittsburgh lineup that’s plated the fewest runs per game in the majors (3.52), even after their 11-run explosion on Monday. The Atlanta bullpen is still seventh by ERA over the last two weeks (3.33) despite a rough series opener.
#RaiseIt!
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) July 6, 2021
TWO #BenGamelBlasts tonight at PNC Park!
Gamel goes 3-for-4 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, and 3 Runs scored leading the @Pirates to an 11-1 win over the Braves.
Rob King and @theFortMcKenry have highlights, analysis, & postgame reaction coming up next on AT&T SportsNet! pic.twitter.com/bXsm1pH0rs
Chad Kuhl responds for the Pirates, fresh off a solid month of June in which he recorded three quality starts. He was on the road in both outings in which he failed to go six innings, the latest of which came at Coors Field.
Kuhl’s home ERA in 2021 is a strong 3.45, and his opponent batting average is .212. That spells trouble for a Braves offense that’s 25th in runs per game on the road this season (3.82).
The Pirates’ 11th-ranked bullpen by ERA over the last two weeks (3.78) should not let this game get out of hand late.
MLB pick: Under
New York Yankees (42-41) at Seattle Mariners (45-40), 10:10 p.m. ET, ESPN
Neither the Yankees nor the Mariners boast an elite offense this year, but these struggling pitching staffs should combine to help Over bettors cash on Tuesday night.
Jameson Taillon will toe the rubber for the Bombers, and his first five road efforts of 2021 have been dismal (11.12 ERA). Opponents are batting .385 against him outside Yankee Stadium this year. Taillon will have to pitch carefully to Seattle shortstop J.P. Crawford, who’s 9-for-23 (.391) since June 30.
J.P. COMES IN CLUTCH 😤@jp_crawford drives in a run to give the @Mariners a 4-3 lead in the 8th! #SeaUsRise | #WHEREiROOT pic.twitter.com/YLFVDU69XP
— ROOT SPORTS™ | NW (@ROOTSPORTS_NW) July 3, 2021
Once Taillon departs, New York’s shaky bullpen – 27th in ERA over the last two weeks (6.70) – will take over.
Countering for the Mariners is former Yankees prospect Justus Sheffield, and it’s hard to put a positive spin on his disastrous month of June, in which he authored a 7.83 ERA. Sheffield’s walk rate is up to 4.00 per nine innings, and unfortunately for him, the Bombers are third in walks drawn in 2021.
Seattle’s bullpen is a modest 12th by ERA over the last two weeks (3.83). Even if they keep the Yankees off the scoreboard, Over bettors may cash anyway.
MLB pick: Over
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