A couple of slumping teams meet at American Family Field tonight when the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates begin a three-game set. Milwaukee enters play on a six-game losing streak while Pittsburgh has dropped three straight contests.
Julio Teheran has made just four starts for the Brewers this season but has been fantastic in each of those appearances — can he end Milwaukee’s slump?
We’ll discuss that and more in our Pirates vs. Brewers MLB picks and predictions for Friday, June 16.
Pirates vs Brewers odds
Pirates vs Brewers predictions
Both clubs come limping into tonight’s contest, especially on the offensive side. The Pirates have scored just 3.5 runs per game over their last eight contests, going 2-6 over that span, while the Brewers are averaging 3.17 runs during their six-game losing streak.
If there’s one hope for Milwaukee’s offense to break out against Pittsburgh, it’s Christian Yelich. The former NL MVP has been the Brewers’ only consistent hitter over the last week, leading the club with eight hits, two home runs, five RBI, 16 total bases, and a .381 average over that span. He comes into tonight’s ballgame with multiple hits in three straight contests and at least one hit in seven of his last eight outings.
Rich Hill takes the mound for the Pirates, and while he’s been much better of late, he’s had his fair share of struggles this season. The southpaw holds a 1.37 WHIP over 13 starts while surrendering at least six hits in eight of those outings.
The Brewers need an offensive spark and this matchup is a strong spot for Yelich to deliver.
My best bet: Yelich 2+ total bases (+145 at DraftKings)
Pirates vs Brewers same-game parlay
Yelich 2+ Total Bases (+145)
Teheran 5+ Strikeouts (+125)
Pirates Under 3.5 Runs (+130)
We’re banking on a couple of big performances from some Brewers tonight but the payout could be juicy on this same-game parlay if they land.
As mentioned, Yelich has been hot and should be a pretty safe bet to grab at least a couple of bases, but the rest will be up to Julio Teheran. Milwaukee’s starter holds a minuscule 0.95 WHIP over four starts while striking out at least five batters in three of those outings.
Meanwhile, the Pirates have only scored four-plus runs in four of their last 11 games and just once in their last four contests, so I’m expecting another low-scoring effort from them against Teheran.
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Pirates vs Brewers moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Brewers opened as the slight home favorite at -119 on the moneyline and while they’ve dropped six straight, they’re also coming up against a Pirates club with just two wins in their last eight outings. Teheran has also not made a misstep so far this season, and I think he gives them the edge in this one.
Teheran has held opponents to just one earned run in three of his four starts for Milwaukee, while giving up two runs in his only other appearance. Hill, on the other hand, gave up 11 combined runs over his last two starts of May, though he’s rebounded with just three earned runs allowed through his two starts in June.
The total settled at 9 runs at most books and with both offenses struggling, I definitely like the Under. Both clubs have 14 runs scored over the last week, tied for dead last in the majors. Pittsburgh’s .368 slugging percentage (SLG) ranks 25th over that span while Milwaukee’s .362 SLG is 27th.
With Teheran poised for another strong start and Hill looking like he may have turned a corner, I expect to see another low-scoring game from these teams.
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Trend to know
The Under is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings in Milwaukee. Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Brewers
Pirates vs Brewers game info
| Location: | American Family Field, Milwaukee, WA |
| Date: | Friday, June 16, 2023 |
| First pitch: | 8:10 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Apple TV+ |
Starting pitchers
Rich Hill (6-5, 4.23 ERA): Hill has had a rocky season with plenty of ups and downs — he had a rough start but rebounded towards the end of April, struggled again in May, and has been hot again in June. The southpaw has allowed at least seven hits in three of his last four outings, but no more than two earned runs in each of his last two starts.
Julio Teheran (1-2, 1.48 ERA): Teheran joined the Brewers in late May after a two-year absence from the MLB but hasn’t missed a beat so far. The 32-year-old has just 24.1 innings under his belt this season but has been incredibly consistent with three quality starts in four outings while holding opponents to two earned runs or less in all of those games.
