- Game: Atlanta Braves vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026
- Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- Broadcast: SportsNet Pittsburgh
- Betting Odds: Atlanta (-128) Pittsburgh (+106)
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On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Pirates (47-45) are set to face off against the Atlanta Braves (52-38) at PNC Park. The current betting odds place Atlanta at -128, with Pittsburgh trailing at +106. The total for this matchup is established at 8 runs. The starting pitchers for this contest are Bryce Elder for Atlanta and Mitch Keller for Pittsburgh.
The Atlanta Braves have recorded 141 doubles and hit 116 home runs this season. With a slugging percentage of .413, the Braves have struck out 718 times while drawing 269 walks. Collectively, the team averages 4.9 runs per game, placing them 6th in the league. They’ve amassed 429 RBIs and 763 hits thus far, with a team batting average of .249. Their on-base percentage stands at .314, leading to a total of 441 runs scored.
This season, the Braves maintain a team ERA of 3.65, ranking 5th in MLB, with 760 strikeouts recorded by their pitchers. They have allowed 101 home runs and a total of 354 runs, also standing 5th overall. The pitching staff has issued 301 walks, and their FIP is calculated at 4.11. Atlanta has conceded 689 hits (average of 7.8 per 9 innings) and 324 earned runs, yielding a K/BB ratio of 2.52 and a collective WHIP of 1.24.
Braves pitchers have taken the mound a total of 281 times in relief this year, having inherited 87 runners, with 27.6% crossing home plate. The bullpen has achieved 61 holds this season, ranking 4th in the league. Atlanta’s relief pitchers have faced opposing players with runners on base 61 times and have appeared in 90 high-leverage situations, accumulating 26 saves out of 35 save opportunities, with a save rate of 74.3% over 99 save situations.
The Braves have converted 71.5% of balls in play into outs over their 7,188 innings played, ranking them 4th among major league teams. This season, the Atlanta Braves have tallied 2,396 putouts, 747 assists, and committed 41 errors, holding a fielding percentage of .987, which positions them 10th in professional baseball. The team has successfully executed 70 double plays.
Bryce Elder has pitched 532 innings with 435 strikeouts throughout his professional career. With a win-loss record of 29-30, he has a FIP of 4.41 and has faced 2,279 batters in the majors, posting an ERA of 4.48 and a WHIP of 1.334. He has surrendered 526 hits, averaging 8.9 hits per 9 innings, along with 184 walks.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have recorded 117 home runs this season, along with 467 RBIs. They have also achieved 146 doubles, while walking 349 times and scoring 487 runs overall. The Pirates have posted an OBP of .342 and a team batting average of .263, with a slugging percentage of .424, allowing them to score an average of 5.29 runs per game, ranking 3rd in baseball. They have struck out 864 times, the 2nd-highest in the league, and have a total of 845 hits to date.
Pittsburgh’s staff maintains a team WHIP of 1.314 and a FIP of 4.02 up to this point in the season. They rank 16th in the league in total hits allowed, with 747. The Pirates’ pitching staff has issued 446 runs this season, with an ERA of 4.27 and 390 earned runs. Their strikeout-to-walk ratio is 9.10, with 835 strikeouts against 332 walks, allowing 96 home runs and surrendering 4.89 runs per 9 innings (19th in the league).
They rank 28th in the league regarding save percentage at 50.0%. The Pirates have utilized 292 relief pitchers this season, with their bullpen appearing 82 times in critical situations and 86 times with runners on base. They have recorded 43 holds and 17 blown saves this season, with 34 save opportunities resulting in 17 saves and an inherited score percentage of 31.1% with 122 inherited runners.
In a total of 7,395 innings, the Pirates have achieved a defensive efficiency rating of 69.1% (22nd in baseball). The Pirates have executed 71 double plays and maintain a fielding percentage of .983 (23rd in professional baseball). With 730 assists, 56 errors, and 2,465 putouts, they have shown solid defensive capabilities this year.
Mitch Keller has surrendered 1,012 hits in his professional career, accumulating 911 strikeouts over 978 innings. With a career ERA of 4.56 and a WHIP of 1.374, he has permitted 496 earned runs. Keller has a K/BB ratio of 2.74 and has faced 4,246 batters over his career, averaging 9.3 hits per nine innings.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB face-off against the spread or moneyline?
Pick: Back Atlanta (-128)
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