MLB picks: Giants vs. Pirates, Reds vs. Rockies

We scoured a busy Thursday slate of MLB action to come up with our two best bets of the evening!

We’ll head to PNC Park first for a look at the series opener between the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Then we’ll preview the first of a four-game set between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies from Coors Field.

San Francisco Giants (22-14) at Pittsburgh Pirates (15-21), 6:35 p.m. ET

The Pirates appear to have a solid chance at an upset victory on Thursday night against the Giants.

Anthony DeSclafani starts for San Francisco, and while he’s off to a terrific start with the “Orange and Black” (2-1, 2.40 ERA), he’s had his fair share of trouble with Pittsburgh from his days with the Reds.

In 16 career starts against the Pirates, DeSclafani is a woeful 2-7 with a 5.44 ERA. Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman and Bryan Reynolds are a combined 14-for-44 (.318) all-time against the New Jersey native with three home runs.

Frazier’s bat has been particularly potent of late, as he only just lost a 12-game hitting streak in which he was batting .340.

Wil Crowe (0-1, 4.02 ERA) counters for the Bucs, and he owns the advantage of having never faced anyone on the Giants’ roster before. His strikeout-walk ratio (12-9) is low, but San Francisco’s bats should oblige him. The G-Men have compiled the fourth-most strikeouts against right-handers in 2021.

MLB pick: Pirates +140

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Cincinnati Reds (17-17) at Colorado Rockies (13-24), 8:40 p.m. ET

Two struggling starting pitchers in the Reds’ Luis Castillo and the Rockies’ Chi Chi Gonzalez will likely have a rough time on Thursday night at Coors Field, leading to an easy score for Over bettors.

Castillo has been uncharacteristically awful in 2021, leaving April with a 6.29 ERA and beginning May with a 6.75 ERA. His WHIP is a bloated 1.63 despite his low walk rate (10 over 33 2.3 innings). Coors Field is not a good place for a pitcher that’s giving up as many hits as Castillo is.

The Reds’ bullpen – 29th in baseball by ERA (5.35) this season – will likely just add gasoline to the fire.

Gonzalez had a decent 3.60 ERA through April, but it’s been a disastrous beginning to May for him. He’s produced an 11.42 ERA over two starts, both on the road. Returning home is not what the doctor ordered, especially considering Gonzalez has to face a Cincinnati lineup that’s second in the majors in runs per game (5.24).

The Rockies' bullpen has fared poorly this season, authoring the fourth-worst ERA in the majors (5.26).

MLB pick: Over