A couple of teams headed in opposite directions will meet at loanDepot Park tonight when the Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Miami Marlins. Pittsburgh has dropped 10 straight games while Miami is 14-5 over its last 19.
Meanwhile, Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez comes into the game on one heck of a heater, hitting .476 over the last week — the best mark in the majors.
Will Arraez lead the hosts to another victory? We’ll discuss in our Pirates vs Marlins MLB picks and predictions for Friday, June 23.
Pirates vs Marlins odds
Pirates vs Marlins predictions
It was business as usual for the Miami Marlins in the series opener on Thursday as they rolled to a 6-4 win thanks to a five-run rally in the eighth inning. Garrett Cooper knocked three hits to go along with three RBI and while it was a quiet night for Luis Arraez, he still managed to record a hit and score a run.
Arraez has notched a hit in six straight games, recording an incredible 15 total hits and 18 total bases over that span. We shouldn’t be surprised, though, given that the second baseman owns an MLB-leading .397 batting average this season — towering over Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves, who ranks second (.324).
The Pirates will send Luis Ortiz to the mound, a right-hander who’s allowed at least five hits in six of his eight starts this season. Arraez is batting .404 against righties this season so there’s a good chance we’ll see a couple more hits from him tonight in a favorable matchup against a hit-prone starter.
My best bet: Luis Arraez 2+ hits (+120 at DraftKings)
Pirates vs Marlins same-game parlay
Luis Arraez 2+ hits (+120)
Arraez 3+ total bases (+195)
Marlins Over 4.5 runs (+110)
We’re going to keep riding Arraez and his hot bat for our same-game parlay, banking on a couple of hits and at least three total bases from the Marlins' hit machine.
The second baseman has recorded multiple hits in three of his last six outings and nine times overall this month. Arraez also has 41 total bases across 19 appearances in June.
Going back to the beginning of their hot streak, which started on June 2, the Marlins are averaging 5.21 runs per game and that number jumps up to 6.50 if you only look at their victories over that span.
Ortiz comes into the contest with a 4.30 ERA while giving up 20 hits over his last three starts, so Miami’s offense is primed for another good night.
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Pirates vs Marlins moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Marlins opened as sizable -163 home favorites but saw their edge jump as high as -200 by Friday morning in MLB odds. While those odds aren’t especially valuable, I’m sticking with the hosts.
Miami has won five of the last six meetings and has feasted on right-handed pitching, going 8-1 in its last nine home games against right-handed starters. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has struggled against lefties with five straight losses vs. southpaws.
The Pirates are also averaging a lowly 2.20 runs per game during their losing skid while being shut out three times over the 10-game span.
The total settled at 7.5 runs for tonight’s ballgame and despite Pittsburgh’s lackluster offense. I think they’ll just about clear the Over.
The Pirates have seen the total clear eight runs in seven of their last 10 contests, while that’s happened in seven of the Marlins’ last 11 outings.
The Over is 6-2 in Pittsburgh’s last eight road games and 5-1 in Miami’s last six against a right-handed starter.
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Trend to know
The Marlins are 8-2 in their last 10 home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Marlins
Pirates vs Marlins game info
| Location: | LoanDepot Park, Miami, FL |
| Date: | Friday, June 23, 2023 |
| First pitch: | 6:40 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Apple TV+ |
Starting pitchers
Luis Ortiz (1-3, 4.30 ERA): Ortiz hasn’t really had any disastrous outings so far this season but he’s been lucky to get away somewhat unscathed, as he carries a 1.73 WHIP through eight starts. The right-hander was solid in his last start, though, scattering four hits and one earned run over 4 2/3 innings vs. the Brewers.
Jesus Luzardo (6-5, 4.09 ERA): Luzardo has been inconsistent over the last couple of months, struggling to string more than one or two quality starts together. The southpaw is currently in the midst of his roughest stretch of the season, holding a 5.24 ERA over his last four starts.
