Jul 10, 8:39am | 4 min read

MLB Over/Under Picks: Pirates vs. Mets Prediction

MLB

Matt Zylbert

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Matt Zylbert's play for Saturday comes to us from the Mets vs. Pirates game

ANALYSIS

MLB Over/Under Picks: Pirates vs. Mets Prediction

Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets (Game 1)

Over/Under: 6

First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET

Probable pitchers: Tyler Anderson (4-8, 4.39 ERA) vs. Marcus Stroman (6-6, 2.59 ERA)

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Pirates vs. Mets

Everybody is emptying their tanks going into the break. That’s the theme of the weekend, especially for pitchers with successful first halves trying to enter the All-Star festivities staying on a high note.

These two starting pitchers kicking off today’s twin bill certainly qualify as such. Stroman may not have made the National League All-Star squad (though he does have numbers that would’ve earned him a nod in other seasons) but he’s been enjoying a very first nice year in Flushing.

The eight-year vet is crafting maybe his best campaign to date — and that even includes topping his lone Midsummer Classic trip two seasons ago. Stroman owns a 2.59 ERA, which would be the lowest of his career if it holds, and he’s also logging his best-ever marks in WHIP (1.13) and batting average against (.233).

Stroman seems to like pitching at his new home park, Citi Field, where he’s posted a 2.25 ERA in nine starts. The right-hander’s been very consistent, yielding two earned runs or less in all but one of those outings.

He also apparently likes the challenge of taking on a doubleheader assignment under the seven-inning rules. Stroman has already started four of these games, pitching to the tune of a pretty 2.05 ERA.

Then there’s Anderson, coming off his best start in awhile (leading a victorious under we had) and maybe his best showing this season. At home against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers, Anderson shut them out for his terrific seven frames.

The sixth-year southpaw will see another division-leading club this afternoon and it’s one he can handle despite the Mets’ outburst at the dish last night. New York is saddled with the fourth-lowest team OPS (.703) opposite left-handers in the league.

Anderson was one of my top sleepers entering the campaign, and outside of one rough few-week stretch, he’s actually been real solid in his first year as a Bucco.

With Anderson back on the upswing, I like him to pick up where he left off in his last start and at least be game for most of the contest. Stroman’s work can do the rest.