Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Picks and Prediction for Sunday September 27 2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday, September 27, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 PM ET with coverage on MLB.TV. Pittsburgh enters at 81-79 overall and 37-42 on the road, while Detroit is 75-85 overall and 41-38 at home. The Pirates sit third in the NL Central, 20 games behind Milwaukee, while Detroit is fourth in the AL Central, nine games behind Cleveland. The Tigers won Friday's series opener 8-7 in a game that produced 15 runs, while Saturday's matchup had not been completed when this preview was prepared and is excluded from the analysis. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more MLB predictions throughout the season.

Starting Pitchers

Pittsburgh is scheduled to start Jared Jones, who enters at 5-6 with a 3.87 ERA and 1.12 WHIP through 97.2 innings. He has allowed 78 hits and 12 home runs while recording an impressive 118 strikeouts against 31 walks. Detroit counters with River Ryan, who has thrown only three innings this season. Ryan has yet to record a decision and owns a 0.00 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP after allowing two hits and no home runs while striking out three and walking one. Ryan's early numbers are strong, but three innings provide far too small a sample to evaluate him alongside an established starter. Jones gives Pittsburgh the more proven starting option and has demonstrated strong strikeout ability while limiting baserunners.

Pirates Have the More Productive Offense

Pittsburgh enters Sunday at 81-79 and has won three of its last five completed games despite dropping Friday's opener 8-7. Before arriving in Detroit, the Pirates defeated St. Louis 2-1, lost 5-1 and earned a 2-0 victory over the Cardinals. Pittsburgh also defeated Kansas City 4-3. The Pirates' offense had been relatively quiet before exploding for seven runs Friday.

Pittsburgh is batting .253 with 760 runs, 1,388 hits and 183 home runs. The Pirates own a .330 on-base percentage and .404 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff has posted a 4.17 ERA and 1.30 WHIP with 1,471 strikeouts against 578 walks while limiting opponents to a .237 batting average.

The Pirates have the offensive advantage in almost every important category. Pittsburgh has a 12-point advantage in batting average, has scored 43 more runs and has produced 86 more hits than Detroit. The Pirates also hold a .330 to .320 advantage in OBP and a slight .404 to .400 edge in slugging. Pittsburgh's ability to reach base could become especially important if Detroit's starter is unable to work deep into the game after throwing only three innings at the major-league level this season.

Tigers Counter With the Stronger Pitching Staff

Detroit enters Sunday at 75-85 overall and has gone 2-3 across its last five completed games. The Tigers snapped a two-game losing streak with Friday's 8-7 victory over Pittsburgh. Detroit previously lost consecutive games against Washington by scores of 4-2 and 3-1 after beating the Nationals 9-2. The Tigers' other loss during this stretch was an 8-1 defeat at Chicago.

Detroit is batting .241 with 717 runs, 1,302 hits and 178 home runs. The Tigers have produced a .320 on-base percentage and .400 slugging percentage. Their biggest advantage comes from the pitching staff, which owns a 3.67 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 1,294 strikeouts against 503 walks while limiting opposing hitters to a .231 average.

Detroit's pitching numbers are significantly better than Pittsburgh's over the full season. The Tigers' 3.67 ERA is half a run lower than the Pirates' 4.17 mark, while Detroit also owns advantages in WHIP and opponent batting average. The complication Sunday is how much length the Tigers can expect from their scheduled starter. With only three innings on his season line, Detroit could be forced to rely heavily on its bullpen. That creates additional risk against a Pittsburgh offense that just scored seven runs in Friday's opener.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Picks and Prediction

Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline

Pittsburgh gets the moneyline selection in a matchup where the starting-pitching situation creates an important distinction between the two clubs. The Pirates' scheduled starter owns a 3.87 ERA and excellent 1.12 WHIP across 97.2 innings with 118 strikeouts, giving Pittsburgh a proven option on the mound. Detroit's starter has excellent numbers through three innings, but the sample is simply too small to assume he can provide comparable length or effectiveness. Pittsburgh also has the stronger offense, holding advantages in batting average, runs, hits, home runs, OBP and slugging percentage. Detroit's full-season pitching numbers are better, and the Tigers are above .500 at home, but Pittsburgh's combination of the more established starter and better offense makes the Pirates the preferred side.

Pick: Under 8.5 or Higher

Friday's 8-7 result makes an over tempting, but the under is the preferred position if the total reaches 8.5 or higher. Before Friday, Pittsburgh's previous four games produced combined totals of three, six, two and seven runs. Detroit's previous three games finished with totals of six, four and 11. Pittsburgh's scheduled starter also carries a 1.12 WHIP with 118 strikeouts through fewer than 100 innings, while Detroit's staff owns an excellent 3.67 season ERA and 1.22 WHIP. The uncertainty surrounding Detroit's starter creates some risk, especially if the bullpen is asked to cover significant innings, but the season-long pitching numbers and Pittsburgh's recent low-scoring profile make Under 8.5 or higher the preferred total.

Final Picks: Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline and Under 8.5 or Higher

This preview was completed on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Starting pitchers, betting lines and other game information are subject to change before the game begins.