Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago White Sox Picks and Prediction for Thursday, September 10, 2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Chicago White Sox on Thursday at Rate Field, with the opening pitch scheduled for 7:40 PM ET and televised on MLB.TV. Pittsburgh is 72-73, third in the NL Central and 17.5 games behind Milwaukee. The Pirates are also 5.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot. Chicago is 75-69 and leads the AL Central by two games over Cleveland. Pittsburgh has won four of its last five, including Tuesday’s 9-3 win over Chicago, while the White Sox are 2-3 in their last five. Be a big winner with our free MLB picks.

Pittsburgh Pirates Playing Their Best Baseball of the Week

Pittsburgh has won four of five while allowing only 11 runs during that stretch. The Pirates are batting .253 with a .331 on-base percentage, 166 home runs and 703 runs. Nick Gonzales leads Pittsburgh with a .306 average and 154 hits, while Brandon Lowe has 29 homers and 83 RBI.

The Pirates have a 4.17 ERA and 1.30 WHIP with opponents batting .237. Pittsburgh has scored 703 runs and allowed 671, producing a plus-32 run differential. The Pirates are 34-39 away from home, but Tuesday’s six-run victory showed the offense can produce in this ballpark.

Injuries: Ryan O'Hearn is on the 10-day IL. Kirby Yates and Isaac Mattson are on the 15-day IL. Mitch Keller and Endy Rodriguez are on the 60-day IL.

Chicago White Sox Trying to Answer a Rough Series Start

Chicago has alternated wins and losses across its last five, including a 10-1 victory over Minnesota before Tuesday’s loss. The White Sox are batting .236 with a .318 on-base percentage and 189 home runs. Colson Montgomery leads Chicago with 31 homers and 83 RBI, while Chase Meidroth is batting .269 with 137 hits.

The White Sox have a 4.15 ERA and 1.31 WHIP while opponents are batting .241. Chicago has been much stronger at Rate Field with a 43-29 home record. The White Sox have scored 683 runs and remain first in the AL Central, making their home performance an important part of Thursday’s matchup.

Injuries: Drew Thorpe and Tanner Murray are on the 60-day IL. Huascar Brazoban is on the 15-day IL. Tommy Pham and Joey Bart are on the 10-day IL.

Pitching Matchup

Pittsburgh Pirates - Jared Jones

Jared Jones is 3-6 with a 4.46 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 78.2 innings. The right-hander has 92 strikeouts against 28 walks while allowing 69 hits and 12 home runs. His strikeout rate is a strength, and Jones has kept his hit total below his innings pitched.

Chicago White Sox - Undecided

Chicago had not yet announced its starting pitcher at the time this preview was written.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago White Sox Game Pick

• Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh is the pick after winning four of its last five and showing a better recent combination of scoring and pitching. The Pirates have allowed only 11 runs across those five games, and Jones has 92 strikeouts in 78.2 innings with a 1.23 WHIP. Chicago owns the better home record, but Pittsburgh already scored nine runs in the series opener. With Gonzales producing consistently and Lowe adding power, the Pirates have enough offense to support Jones and finish this series with another strong performance.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago White Sox Over/Under Pick

• Under

Under is the play with Pittsburgh’s pitching showing strong recent form and Jones capable of missing bats. The Pirates have held four of their last five opponents to three runs or fewer, including two shutouts against the Angels. Jones has allowed 69 hits across 78.2 innings and owns 92 strikeouts, which can help limit extended innings. Chicago has scored three runs or fewer in three of its last five games. Pittsburgh has also won several low-scoring contests recently, resulting in another low-scoring game.