Rockies Hope to Curb Losing as Pirates Await

The Colorado Rockies open a 10-game homestand Friday (8:40 p.m. ET) against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ryan Felter will oppose a yet-to-named starter to open the three-game set. The Pirates took two of three games from the Rockies last month, outscoring them 8-6.

What should bettors expect? Before making your Pirates vs Rockies predictions, check out our MLB series preview.

Colorado is +1.5 (-155) on the run line and -112 on the moneyline for the opener, with Pittsburgh -1.5 (+130) and -108. Meanwhile, the Over/Under is 11, the highest projected total of the night. There’s a slight lean to the Under at -115 odds.

Pittsburgh is a -210 favorite to win the series, with the Rockies +180.

Pirates vs Rockies Betting Trends

The Pittsburgh Pirates have failed to cover in four straight games but remain profitable for bettors at 37-31 against the run line. As for the Over/Under, Pittsburgh is 33-31-4.

The Colorado Rockies, meanwhile, are 34-34 against the run line. They have performed slightly better for Over/Under bettors, going 35-32-1.

It’s important to remember these betting trends for the benefit of your Pirates vs Rockies predictions.

Pittsburgh (32-36) sits last place in the National League Central after dropping two of three games in St. Louis. The Pirates managed just seven runs during the series and rank bottom-10 in several offensive categories, including batting average (.229) and home runs (61).

The Pirates are 8.0 games behind Milwaukee and have the second-worst run differential in the division (-25).

Because of the expanded wild card, the Pirates remain on the fringes of the postseason race. Still, given the inconsistency of their offense, they’re unlikely to stay in contention. Oddsmakers seem to agree, pricing them +600 longshots to make the playoffs.

A summer fire sale is the likeliest outcome, with the Pirates prioritizing their future around phenom pitcher Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, Saturday’s projected starter.

The Pirates have performed well for bettors despite their sub-.500 record, going 37-31 against the run line. That includes 20-15 away from home. Keep that in mind when assessing the MLB odds today.

Rocky Mountain Low

Expectations for Colorado were extremely poor, with the Rockies projected for an NL-low 60.5 wins.

It certainly didn’t take long to see why. At 24-44, the Rockies own the second-worst win percentage (.353) in the NL. They have been outscored by a whopping 114 runs.

Colorado is just 3-7 over its last 10 games after dropping a three-game series to Minnesota. They lost 17-9 on Thursday, their ninth time this season allowing double-digit runs.

The Rockies easily have baseball’s worst ERA at 5.48, 0.62 higher than the next-closest team (White Sox) per MLB stats. They have also allowed the most hits (671) and rank last in WHIP (1.54).

Already 17.0 games out of first place, the Rockies are +2500 longshots to make the playoffs. A mid-summer selloff will soon be in order, with the club holding practically zero chance of doing anything notable in the MLB power rankings.

From a betting perspective, they have been difficult to peg. They are 34-34 against the run line, but just 3-9 over their last 12 games.

Series Probables

Feltner has been hit hard, pitching to a 5.74 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. He bounced back in his last start, June 8 against St. Louis (5.1 innings, 0 ER), after being tagged for a season-high eight runs in a 13-3 loss to Cincinnati on June 3.

He last faced the Pirates on May 5, allowing five runs over 5.2 innings in a 5-3 loss.

Pittsburgh, in need of a starter, will likely go with a bullpen game.

Be sure to check back on the probables before making your Pirates vs Rockies predictions.

Jones has been impressive as a rookie, turning in a 3.27 ERA over his first 13 Major League starts. He’s struck out 79 batters in 74.1 innings, to go along with a 1.06 WHIP. The 22-year-old right-hander is +1200 to win NL Rookie of the Year.

He was dominant against the Rockies last month, throwing seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 win.

The Rockies will counter with Blach, who has a 4.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. The veteran left-hander has given up eight runs and 18 hits over 10 innings this month.

Hudson’s eight losses are tied for second-most in baseball behind Oakland’s Ross Stripling (1-9). He’s pitched past the sixth inning in two of his last three starts, showing improvement after a difficult April (6.57 ERA).

With Paul Skenes’ turn in the rotation being pushed back a day to Monday, Pittsburgh has yet to name a starter opposite Hudson.

Pirates vs Rockies Odds

For Pirates vs Rockies predictions, betting analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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