Pirates

Pirates Daily: With Rain Forecast All Day, Will There Be a Game?

Published

2 years ago

August 21, 2022

Sunday, Aug. 21, the Pittsburgh Pirates (47-73) finish their three-game weekend series with their National League Central rival Cincinnati Reds (47-71) at PNC Park. The Pirates have a chance to take the series Sunday afternoon in the rubber match after getting obliterated 10-1 Saturday night.

The weather at PNC Park for first pitch (1:35 p.m.) is looking rather awful. Rain is forecast all the way through until the wee hours of Monday morning. Temperatures will stay around 79 degrees.

The game will air on AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh and 93.7 The Fan

Starters

If the game does indeed happen, the Pirates will send out Zach Thompson (3-9, 5.51 ERA) after his last appearance on Thursday against the Red Sox, where he pitched out of the bullpen. Thompson recorded just one out and allowed three hits, one walk, and two earned runs.

The Reds will send out struggling lefty Mike Minor (1-10, 6.31 ERA). Minor last pitched Monday against the Phillies, when he allowed ten hits, four earned runs, one walk, and four strikeouts in five innings.

Betting Odds

The Pittsburgh Pirates, are favorites for the second time in a row and, open up as favorites on the moneyline with a -120, whereas the Reds open up as +102 underdogs. Pittsburgh’s run line of -1 can be had at +130 as the Reds +1 opens up at -154. The O/U for Saturday night’s matchup opens at 8.5 runs.

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not

Who’s Hot: Rodolfo Castro was the lone bright spot for the Pirates Saturday night, as he recorded a 2-for-4 night with a solo shot. Castro, in his last seven games, is batting .296/.345/.444.

Who’s Not: Bligh Madris failed to register a hit yet again Saturday night and is sliding down this slippery slope of an extremely bad stretch early into his major league career.

Tidbits:

To date, the Pirates have used 14 different players 24 years old or younger this season, the highest total in baseball and the most the franchise has used in a single season since 2005 (also 14). In total, 52 of the 60 players the Pirates have used this season (87%) are 30 years old or younger, also the highest number in the game, ahead of the Orioles (50).

Pirates rookies have totaled 41 home runs this season, the highest total in the NL and second-most in baseball, trailing only the Royals (52) and ahead of the Cubs (36) and Cardinals (27). The 41 home runs also equal the highest total in team history, matching the 2004 club.

Entering Sunday’s game, the Pittsburgh Pirates have had 141 instances this season of a reliever throwing multiple innings (1.1 or more), the highest total in the National League and the second-highest total in baseball behind the Orioles (143).