Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction for Friday, August 14, 2026

The Boston Red Sox visit the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Friday, August 14, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET, with coverage on MLB.TV. Boston enters at 64-56 overall and an impressive 35-25 on the road, while Pittsburgh is 58-64 overall and 30-30 at home. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Before making your wagers, check out our free MLB picks for more baseball predictions and analysis.

Starting Pitchers

Boston will send Jake Bennett to the mound with a 7-5 record, 3.17 ERA and 1.04 WHIP through 76.2 innings. Bennett has allowed 64 hits and only 16 walks while recording 55 strikeouts and surrendering five home runs. Pittsburgh counters with Bubba Chandler, who is 5-8 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 116.1 innings. Chandler has allowed 98 hits and issued 62 walks while striking out 103 and giving up 10 home runs. Bennett owns the stronger ERA and WHIP and has demonstrated considerably better control, giving Boston an important advantage in the starting matchup.

Red Sox Try to End Five-Game Slide

Boston comes into Pittsburgh desperately needing to reverse its recent form. The Red Sox have lost five consecutive games, including three straight on the road against Toronto. They were swept by scores of 6-4, 5-3 and 2-1 after losing their final two home games against the Athletics. Despite that slump, Boston remains eight games above .500 overall and has been particularly effective away from home with a 35-25 road record.

The Red Sox are batting .248 with a .320 on-base percentage and .401 slugging percentage. Boston has accumulated 993 hits, 121 home runs and 531 runs. The pitching staff has been considerably stronger, posting a 3.51 ERA and 1.23 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .240 batting average.

Boston's pitching remains its biggest strength entering Friday. The Red Sox have a substantial season-long ERA advantage over Pittsburgh, and their starting pitching numbers are also better in this matchup. The concern is an offense that has scored only 14 runs during the current five-game losing streak, making run support an important factor.

Pirates Return Home Looking for an Offensive Spark

Pittsburgh has also struggled recently, dropping four of its last five games. The Pirates lost consecutive games at Miami by scores of 8-2 and 2-0 after dropping two of three at home against New York. Their lone victory during the five-game stretch was an impressive 9-0 shutout. Pittsburgh returns to PNC Park with an even 30-30 home record.

The Pirates are batting .255 with a .333 on-base percentage and .409 slugging percentage. Pittsburgh has produced 1,074 hits, 145 home runs and 604 runs, giving it the offensive advantage over Boston in each of those categories. The pitching staff has struggled more, carrying a 4.35 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .241.

Pittsburgh's offense has been more productive over the full season, scoring 73 more runs than Boston while also producing 24 more home runs. The problem is that those offensive advantages are paired with weaker pitching numbers. The Pirates have also scored just three total runs over their last three losses, so neither offense enters Friday in particularly convincing form.

Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction

Pick: Boston Red Sox Moneyline

Boston gets the slight edge in a matchup between two teams trying to escape significant losing stretches. Pittsburgh owns the stronger season offensive numbers, but Boston has been the better road team at 35-25 and possesses a clear pitching advantage. The Red Sox have the better team ERA and WHIP, and Friday's starting matchup also favors Boston considerably in those categories. With both offenses struggling recently, the stronger pitching profile makes the Red Sox the preferred side.

Pick: Under 8.5

With no confirmed total available, take the Under if the total is set at 8.5 or higher. Boston has scored only 14 runs over its last five games, while Pittsburgh has managed just three runs across its last three losses. The Red Sox also enter with a 3.51 team ERA, and their starter has a 3.17 ERA and excellent 1.04 WHIP. Pittsburgh has enough season-long offensive production to create some danger, but the current form and pitching matchup point toward a lower-scoring game at 8.5 or better.