With eight wins in their last 10 games, the New York Mets are slowly but surely regaining their spot in the National League East early in the 2024 season.
On Monday night, they face the surprisingly hot Pittsburgh Pirates. Let’s take a look at how these two hot teams will fare in the series opener and what plays will be considered on the betting boards.
Pirates vs. Mets odds
| team | run line | money line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| pirate | -1.5 (+162) | +106 | o8 (-110) |
| mets | +1.5 (-196) | -124 | u8 (-110) |
Pirates vs. Mets predictions
What a great addition Martin Perez has been for the Pirates in the first three games on a short-term deal.
Perez, who won a World Series championship with Texas a year ago, is keeping his foot on the gas through 2024 after signing a one-year deal with Pittsburgh to shore up an injury-ravaged pitching staff.
He maintained an ERA of 1.90 even after pitching 19 innings, showing the durability of a veteran.
In the most recent game against the Tigers, he had seven strikeouts and allowed one earned run.
I like the prospect of another deep game for Perez, who can add to a bullpen that is tied for third in saves against Queens on Monday.
Adrian Houser, who came to the Mets as a free agent from Milwaukee, is desperate to find a rhythm with his new club.
In his last start against the Braves, he had eight hits (six of which were consecutive hits) and five earned runs, and according to Statcast, his run value was -3.
Hauser isn’t fooling hitters. He struck out just six in 95 pitches and hit two Braves players to boot.
Speaking of strikes, the right-handed veteran has only four strikeouts in 10 innings this season, ranking him in the bottom 3 percent in strikeout rate.
His concerningly high exit velocity provides some upside to a Pirates lineup that boasts a .269 batting average against right-handed pitchers.
Hauser is giving up too many balls during his plays, and the Pirates are getting on base despite not hitting the ball hard. This is a big reason why the Pirates are virtually tied with Milwaukee in the NL Central standings.
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Pirates vs. Mets picks
The Pirates are making a strong case for being slightly undervalued and plus-money underdogs in this series opener.
Get them on the moneyline Monday night at Citi Field.
