The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Colorado Rockies on August 24, 2025. First pitch from PNC Park is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on Roku.
The Pirates are eyeing a sweep of the Colorado Rockies. It was a dominant first two games from Pittsburgh, who are heavy favorites to secure the third one.
Find my MLB betting preview and Rockies vs Pirates prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Rockies vs Pirates Prediction
- Rockies vs Pirates pick: Rockies ML (play to +200)
My Rockies vs Pirates best bet is on the Rockies moneyline. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Rockies vs Pirates Odds
| Rockies Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 +130 | 7.5 -115o / -105u | +280 |
| Pirates Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -155 | 7.5 -115o / -105u | -350 |
Rockies vs Pirates Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP McCade Brown (COL) | Stat | RHP Paul Skenes (PIT) |
|---|---|---|
| (MLB Debut) | W-L | 7-9 |
| — | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 5.1 |
| — | ERA / xERA | 2.16 / 2.61 |
| — | FIP / xFIP | 2.45 / 3.08 |
| — | WHIP | 0.96 |
| — | K-BB% | 4.7 |
| — | GB% | 43.8 |
| — | Stuff+ | 107 |
| — | Location+ | 111 |
Sean Paul’s Rockies vs Pirates Preview
Colorado Rockies Betting Preview
Sometimes, you have to take a shot on a big number. That’s what I’m doing here.
The Rockies are clearly moving in a direction that focuses on the future, as they have zero postseason aspirations in 2025. That’s why Colorado got rid of Austin Gomber and are seeing what 6-6 right-handed McCade Brown has to offer.
Brown is far from a seasoned prospect, but he has some tantalizing qualities. Brown is outright skipping AAA, coming up from AA Hartford, where he's pitched 43 innings with 57 strikeouts and just a .203 average.
It's not like Brown is a super prospect, ranking 26th in the Rockies system. However, he has a 60-grade fastball and is known for having nasty stuff, particularly a high-velocity fastball.
That said, he isn’t facing Major League hitters in the minors. Even though the Pirates' offense is pretty bad, they’re still big leaguers. So, it’s worth mentioning the stats, but you just never know how a pitcher will translate to the bigs until it happens.
The Rockies' record is an ugly 37-93, but their offense is a lot better than you'd expect for the worst team in MLB. They rank 17th in wRC+ in August and have plenty of players performing well.
It took time for Brenton Doyle to get rolling. He struggled early, but has a 203 wRC+ with six homers in August. And the best player on Colorado’s roster, Hunter Goodman, has six homers as well and a 145 wRC+.
Colorado also hits the ball with velocity, ranking ninth in August with a 36.1% hard-hit rate. Pairing their terrific hard-hit rate with a manageable 20% strikeout rate will give the Rockies a chance to do damage versus Skenes.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview
Is Paul Skenes great? Of course. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball, if not the best. Skenes is the front-runner to win the NL CY Young award, as he boasts a sensational 2.16 ERA with a 2.61 xERA and 2.45 FIP. He also punches out 10.17 batters per nine, while allowing only 0.53 homers per nine.
Just because Skenes is great doesn't mean all of his starts equate to wins. He's even lost one outing against this same Rockies team. Now, that one was at Coors Field, but it further illustrates that the Pirates probably shouldn't be this big of favorites over anyone, even on Skenes' day.
It's more about what happens once Skenes departs from the ballgame, as the Pirates have the 29th-worst ERA in baseball this month.
They've probably been a tad unlucky since their FIP is more solid at 4.19. But Skenes is more than likely pitching six innings. He hasn't gone more than six innings in over two months, so he should provide them with a strong 18 outs.
Even the back-end arms have regressed in August. Dennis Santana has a 7.88 ERA this month, while eighth-inning man Isaac Mattson could be due for regression from his 2.35 ERA since he has a 3.64 FIP and 6.61 xFIP. Sealing the game versus a very capable offense won't be easy if the Pirates can't create breathing room versus a rookie hurler.
The Pirates' offense has gotten hot this month, ranking 16th with a 99 wRC+. It's by far the best form we've seen from Pittsburgh's offense all year, and it's no coincidence that Bryan Reynolds leads the charge with a .316 average and a 158 wRC+.
They also have boosted their walk percentage to 9.6%. It would be wise to use their strong plate discipline to their advantage versus a youngster making his first-ever start.
Rockies vs Pirates Prediction, Betting Analysis
This play is solely a price play to me. After the Pirates dismantled the Rockies through two games in Pittsburgh, I'm sure we'll only get an improved number with people wanting to back Skenes. Who could blame them?
But the Rockies aren't a pushover. They split their last series with the Dodgers this week and beat the Pirates in a three-game set at the start of August. Both of those series took place at Coors Field,
Additionally, the Rockies' last time getting swept on the road came at the hands of the Red Sox in early July. They've found a way to scratch and claw their way to at least one win.
I foresee a similar outcome to this series. The Pirates were -240 favorites in Colorado when they lost on August 2nd, in Colorado, with Skenes pitching. And he wasn't great, allowing four runs in five innings, all of which came in the sixth inning, where Skenes failed to record an out.
It's certainly a risk to bet against Skenes, but at +200 or better, I'd do it.
Pick: Rockies ML (+280, BetMGM | Play to +200)
Moneyline
I like Colorado here with great value, as mentioned.
Run Line (Spread)
No play here for this game.
Over/Under
I'm not interested in the total.
Rockies vs Pirates Betting Trends
