The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 9, 2026. First pitch from PNC Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on SportsNet LA.
The Pirates are -112 on the moneyline. The Dodgers are -104 on the moneyline. The total is set at 8 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Dodgers vs Pirates prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Dodgers vs Pirates Predictions, Pick
- Oneil Cruz Over 1.5 HRR
- F5 Under 4.5
Parlay Odds: +251 (FanDuel)
Dodgers vs Pirates Odds
| Dodgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +164 | 8 -110o / -110u | -104 |
| Pirates Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -200 | 8 -110o / -110u | -112 |
Dodgers vs Pirates Probable Pitchers
| Eric Lauer (LHP, LAD) | Stat | Paul Skenes (RHP, PIT) |
|---|---|---|
| 2-5 | W-L | 6-5 |
| -0.6 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 2.2 |
| 5.74 / 5.46 | ERA / xERA | 3.09 / 2.29 |
| 6.53 / 5.32 | FIP / xFIP | 2.61 / 2.93 |
| 6.4% | K-BB% | 24.8% |
| 28.3% | GB% | 43.4% |
| .239 | BABIP | .260 |
| 87 | Stuff+ | 100 |
| 102 | Location+ | 112 |
Dodgers vs Pirates MLB Betting Preview
Story: Back Oneil to Stay Hot at the Plate
The Pirates will host the Dodgers on Tuesday in the first of a three-game homestand at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
Paul Skenes will take the mound looking to steal the first in what will be a very tough series, while the Dodgers will go with left-hander Eric Lauer, who is in his first season pitching for Los Angeles.
Oneil Cruz Over 1.5 HRR
For the first leg of our SGP, I will be looking to target lefty slugger Oneil Cruz to find success at the plate on Tuesday night.
Cruz was a highly-touted Shortstop prospect prior to his coming to the Major Leagues in 2022. The Dominican has freakish size for the position while also boasting incredible raw power at the plate. His skillset is even more impressive when you consider his exceptional arm strength, with Cruz having been clocked up to 105 MPH throwing across the diamond.
Since entering the league, the Pirates’ superstar has recorded some of the highest exit velocities in the Statcast era, which began around 2015 — in fact, Oneil actually ranks first in that metric, having smashed a 122.9 MPH batted ball in 2025.
That said, a high strikeout rate at the plate seemed to have temporarily tanked his top-tier talent and bat speed in the box, but Cruz has bounced back in a big way in 2026.
While still getting fanned at a very high clip, the Pirates’ 26-year-old has finally found his rhythm at the plate and has undoubtedly been one of the best hitters in all of baseball over the first few months of the season. Cruz has smashed 14 homers and driven in 44 RBIs so far.
He's also improved drastically against lefties (139 wRC+), and he's been much better against off-speed stuff, both of which will be huge in this matchup against Lauer. Lauer is a soft-tossing lefty who relies on spin and command, which could be a problem matched up against Cruz's raw power.
If Lauer leaves one of his lower-velocity fastballs or a slider over the heart of the plate, Cruz will make him pay.
The Pirates’ star also has lightning speed on the base paths, having swiped 20 bags already in 2026. Given we are playing Oneil in the HRR (Hits + Runs + RBIs) market, this is certainly relevant to his run-scoring ability.
F5 Under 4.5
For the second leg of our SGP, I'm backing there to be fewer than five runs scored in the first five innings of Tuesday's game.
While Lauer’s volatility to start the 2026 season has been concerning, the utter dominance of Skenes gives me faith that runs may come at a premium on Tuesday. Across his first 13 starts of the season, Skenes ranks ninth among starting pitchers in strikeouts (82) and third in WHIP (0.91).
The Dodgers have the best lineup in baseball, but Skenes should hold his own in this matchup.
SGP Picks:
- Oneil Cruz Over 1.5 HRR
- F5 Under 4.5
Parlay Odds: +251 (FanDuel)
