The Kansas City Royals (45-48) and Pittsburgh Pirates (38-55) will meet in the MLB tonight. First pitch from Kauffman Stadium is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET. The game will broadcast live on SportsNet PT.
Kansas City is a -190 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Pittsburgh is +155 to pull off the upset. The over/under is set at 8.5 total runs.
Continue below for my MLB betting preview and Pirates vs Royals predictions for Wednesday, July 9, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Pirates vs Royals Prediction
- Pirates vs Royals pick: Pirates Team Total Under 3.5 Runs (-120)
My Royals vs. Pirates best bet is on Pittsburgh to stay under its team total, with the best line currently available at BetMGM. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Pirates vs Royals Odds
| Pirates Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -130 | 8.5 -110o / -110u | +155 |
| Royals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +110 | 8.5 -110o / -110u | -190 |
Pirates vs Royals Preview, Picks
I’m picking on the Pirates again today facing a tough lefty.
Pittsburgh ranks dead last in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ against left-handed pitching since the start of May.
The Pirates will likely trot out a completely right-handed lineup, which bodes well for Kris Bubic and the bullpen.
Bubic has been phenomenal this season. He ranks 7th in ERA at 2.36, and he’s surrendered three earned runs or less in 15 of 17 starts.
Crucially, Bubic has limited righties to a paltry .225/.287/.329 slash line with a 26.6% strikeout rate.
The Royals’ bullpen has been excellent this season, ranking 6th in ERA.
Closer Carlos Estevez has worked two of the last three days, though he’s only totaled 23 pitches.
Lucas Erceg threw 22 pitches last night, so he might be unavailable, but everyone else should be good to go for Kansas City.
The Royals are righty-heavy in the backend of their lineup, which is helpful in this matchup.
If the Pirates want to counter with more lefties off the bench, Angel Zerpa is a strong option to oppose them (.200/.304/.283 vs. left-handed hitting).
Pirates vs Royals Best Bet
- Pirates Team Total Under 3.5 (-120)
