Pittsburgh Pirates vs Athletics Picks and Prediction for Wednesday June 17 2026
Use Code SSWC The Pittsburgh Pirates and Athletics meet on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 PM ET, and the game will be available on MLB.TV. Pittsburgh enters the matchup with a 36-37 overall record and a 16-18 mark on the road, while the Athletics come in at 36-36 overall and 16-19 at home. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more analysis and predictions.
Starting Pitchers Set for the Series Finale
The Pirates are expected to start Braxton Ashcraft, who enters the game with a 5-3 record, a 3.30 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, 84.2 innings pitched, 74 hits allowed, 90 strikeouts, 19 walks, and eight home runs allowed. The Athletics are expected to counter with Aaron Civale, who comes into the matchup with a 5-2 record, a 4.20 ERA, a 1.47 WHIP, 55.2 innings pitched, 65 hits allowed, 39 strikeouts, 17 walks, and 12 home runs surrendered. Pittsburgh appears to hold the advantage on the mound based on ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, and home runs allowed.
Pirates Looking to Recover After a Rough Outing
Pittsburgh enters Wednesday's contest with a 36-37 overall record and a 16-18 road mark. The Pirates have gone 1-4 over their last five games, recently winning over Miami while recently losing to the Athletics, Miami twice, and Los Angeles. Their latest result was an 11-2 loss to the Athletics.
The Pirates are batting .252 as a team with 361 runs, 634 hits, 86 home runs, a .334 on-base percentage, and a .402 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff owns a 4.26 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .237 batting average. Pittsburgh pitchers have recorded 664 strikeouts and issued 269 walks. The Pirates are 18-22 in night games this season.
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One area where Pittsburgh stands out is its balance between offense and pitching. The Pirates have scored more runs than the Athletics while also posting a lower ERA, lower WHIP, and lower opponent batting average. Those numbers suggest they have performed better overall than their recent stretch may indicate.
Athletics Carry Momentum into Another Home Game
The Athletics enter this matchup with a 36-36 overall record and a 16-19 mark at home. They have won four of their last five games, recently winning over Pittsburgh, Colorado twice, and Milwaukee while recently losing once to Colorado. Their most recent game was the dominant 11-2 victory over the Pirates.
The Athletics are batting .252 as a team with 331 runs, 623 hits, 95 home runs, a .331 on-base percentage, and a .421 slugging percentage. On the mound, they own a 4.80 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .260. Athletics pitchers have recorded 590 strikeouts and issued 277 walks. They are 25-21 in night games this season.
The biggest strength for the Athletics has been their power. They have hit 95 home runs, which is more than Pittsburgh, and they own a higher slugging percentage. However, their pitching staff has struggled more than Pittsburgh's throughout the season, particularly in ERA, WHIP, and opponent batting average.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Athletics Picks and Prediction
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Athletics Pick
- Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline
Even though the Athletics are coming off an impressive victory and have won four of their last five games, Pittsburgh owns advantages in several key areas. The Pirates have the better projected starting pitcher, the better ERA, the lower WHIP, and the lower opponent batting average. Pittsburgh also holds a 55.9% edge in the matchup predictor, making the Pirates the preferred side.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Athletics Total Pick
- Pick: Over 8.5
I would take the over if the total is set at 8.5. These teams combined for 13 runs in their most recent meeting, and both clubs have shown the ability to generate offense. Pittsburgh has scored 361 runs this season, while the Athletics have hit 95 home runs and own a .421 slugging percentage. Those offensive numbers point toward another game with scoring opportunities.
Final Score Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates 6 – Athletics 5
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Tuesday.
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