MLB picks: Pirates vs. White Sox, Braves vs. Dodgers

We took a deep dive into Tuesday’s MLB slate and came up with our two top sides of the night!

Leading off will be our look at the interleague series opener between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago White Sox. Then we’ll segue to an important National League showdown as the Atlanta Braves visit the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pittsburgh Pirates (48-83) at Chicago White Sox (76-56), 8:10 p.m. ET

Bettors should expect a low-scoring series opener – at least early – between the Pirates and the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday night.

Bryse Wilson gets the nod for Pittsburgh, and his first four starts with the organization have been mostly positive. If you factor out his second start in 12 days’ time against the Milwaukee Brewers, Wilson has a 2.25 ERA as a Pirate. He should have the advantage facing a Chicago lineup that’s mostly unfamiliar with his style.

Lucas Giolito counters for the South Siders, looking to build on the solid numbers over his last four starts (2.16 ERA, 0.800 WHIP). He held the Bucs to two runs over six innings of work when these teams met on June 22. Giolito also recorded a no-hitter against this club in 2020.

The bullpens present a conundrum for totals players; the Pirates are 12th by ERA over the last two weeks (3.86), but 22nd on the season (4.22), while the White Sox are 27th over the last two weeks (5.01), but a more respectable 15th on the year (4.17). Factor these unpredictable units out and bet the first five innings Under instead.

MLB pick: Under 4.5 runs (first five innings)

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Atlanta Braves (70-60) at Los Angeles Dodgers (83-49), 10:10 p.m. ET

The Braves and Dodgers are two of baseball’s top 10 offenses, but they should be kept in check in L.A. this Tuesday night.

The Braves’ Charlie Morton – who takes the hill in this one – had a 2.25 ERA going through his first four starts in August before getting roughed up by the then red-hot New York Yankees on Aug. 24 (four earned runs over five frames). In 92 combined at-bats, no Dodgers player has a home run against Morton. That includes Mookie Betts, who’s faced the 37-year-old New Jersey native 22 times.

Walker Buehler responds for the “Blue Crew,” looking to build on what’s been an incredible month for him. He’s scattered five earned runs over 33 1/3 innings in August, striking out 39 batters while issuing only 11 walks.

These bullpens have held up their end of the bargain this month; the Dodgers are tops in the majors by ERA (2.27), while the Braves are an improving 13th (3.67).

MLB pick: Under