deGrom Faces Improving Pirates Offense
The Pirates’ offense looks to keep improving in the opener of a three-game series on Friday at PNC Park. Pittsburgh has a tough one in New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom.
The Pirates are 13th in the National League with a .233 batting average. A below-average offense has hindered Pittsburgh all season. That may be changing as Pittsburgh, who is averaging 4.23 runs a game, broke out with 12-5 and 9-4 wins over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday and Thursday.
Oddsmakers have the -150-moneyline favorite. The total is sitting at 8.
The offensive surge was driven by a couple of factors.They started hitting the long ball again. They hit six creatures in the 4-game series in Atlanta. They also got players back from injury. Adam Frazier and David Freese both came off the disabled list on May 12. They wer both recovering from hamstring strains. Frazier is hitting .442 with 10 RBIs in the leadoff spot since his return. They will get Gregory Polanco back tonight against the Bucs as well.
Mets Hurler, deGrom, is 3-1 with a 3.56 ERA. The fireballer is averaging 12.29 strikeouts per nine innings. That is the best mark in the NL and the third best in baseball. Through four starts in May, he is averaging eight strikeouts. He has three wins and two no-decisions in his last five starts.
Pirates Offense Puts the Ball in Play
The Pirates have been fanned only 19 percent of the time this year. That is third-lowest in the majors. DeGrom has made four career starts against the Pirates. He is 0-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings.
Chad Kuhl will start for the Pirates. He is 1-4, 5.85 ERA. The sinker specialist is coming off his best outing of the season. He allowed one hit in five innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. Kuhl has never faced the Mets.
| New York Mets 19-26 |
|---|
| NY Mets is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets’s last 5 games |
| NY Mets is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road |
| NY Mets is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road |
| The total has gone OVER in 8 of NY Mets’s last 10 games on the road |
| NY Mets is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh |
| NY Mets is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Pittsburgh |
| NY Mets is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh |
| The total has gone UNDER in 14 of NY Mets’s last 19 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh |
Pittsburgh Pirates 22-26 |
|---|
| Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games |
| Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh’s last 6 games |
| Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home |
| Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home |
| Pittsburgh is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing NY Mets |
| Pittsburgh is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing NY Mets |
| Pittsburgh is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against NY Mets |
| The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Pittsburgh’s last 19 games when playing at home against NY Mets |
Weather in
Pittsburgh – United States
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Rain Storms
Humidity is 93%
Wind is West-northwest 11 mph
Visibility is 8.015688 mi
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