Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction & Betting Tips - MLB Spring Training

Prediction published on 09/03/2024, 16:57  by Matthew Newman | Modified on 09/03/2024 at 17:01 in Baseball Predictions

The battle for Pennsylvania will see the Pittsburgh Pirates taking on the Philadelphia Phillies in spring training on Sunday. Pittsburgh were just 1-5 in February but they have suffered just two defeats in March, one at the Baltimore Orioles who have been beating everyone and the other to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. Finishing low down in the pecking order has allowed them early draft picks and it’s starting to shape up as if they have got a few of them right with their first pick in 2021, Henry Davis, and their first pick in 2022, Termarr Johnson, both impressing. In 2023 they picked up Paul Skenes with the number one overall pick, he has appeared in two games, including a start, striking out three in three innings so far, giving up just a solo shot.

A World Series appearance in 2022 and being one game away from a return in 2023 makes the Phillies one of the National League favourites heading into the season. They play in the deepest division in the NL which makes it difficult for all of the teams in the East so they could do with a strong start to the season. They snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over the Astros on Friday 6-3. Just two runs scored per game in that losing streak shows where they need to focus for the rest of this month as they build for the start of the season. Kyle Schwarber led the team in home runs last year but he has just a single hit in 18 at-bats with Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper yet to catch fire either this early.