Pittsburgh Pirates vs Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Prediction for Friday August 21, 2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates travel to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, to face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, August 21, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 PM ET with coverage on MLB.TV. Pittsburgh enters the matchup at 63-66 overall and 29-34 on the road, while Los Angeles is 77-51 overall and 37-26 at home. At the time of this writing the odds were not released.

Both clubs arrive with some momentum. Pittsburgh has won three of its last five games, including its last two, while Los Angeles has won three straight. The Dodgers also hold a 2-1 advantage in the season series. Readers looking for more analysis can also check out our free MLB picks.

Starting Pitchers

Bubba Chandler is scheduled to start for Pittsburgh and enters at 6-8 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 121.1 innings. He has allowed 102 hits while recording 108 strikeouts and 64 walks, with 10 home runs allowed. Los Angeles counters with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is 12-7 with a 2.60 ERA and outstanding 0.89 WHIP through 145.1 innings. Yamamoto has surrendered only 96 hits while striking out 136, walking 34, and allowing 15 home runs.

Pirates Bring a Capable Offense to Los Angeles

Pittsburgh comes into Friday at 63-66 overall with a 29-34 record away from home. The Pirates are 3-2 over their last five, beating Detroit 4-3 and 4-1 in their two most recent games. They also recorded an 8-3 victory over Boston during this stretch, with their losses coming by scores of 8-5 and 4-0.

The Pirates have been surprisingly competitive with the Dodgers offensively across the full season. Pittsburgh is batting .256 with 646 runs, 1,136 hits, and 155 home runs. The Pirates carry a .333 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff has been less effective, posting a 4.29 ERA and 1.32 WHIP while holding opponents to a .240 batting average.

Pittsburgh's offensive production gives the Pirates a chance to make this competitive. They have actually scored six more runs than Los Angeles and recorded 15 more hits. The problem is the pitching matchup. Pittsburgh's overall staff numbers trail Los Angeles, and Chandler enters with a significant disadvantage against the opposing starter.

Dodgers Have a Major Pitching Edge

Los Angeles enters the series opener at 77-51 overall and 37-26 at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers have won three consecutive games after sweeping their final three games in Colorado, scoring 24 runs during that stretch. They are 3-2 across their last five after dropping the previous two games against Milwaukee.

The Dodgers are batting .260 as a team with 640 runs, 1,121 hits, and 166 home runs. Los Angeles owns a .335 on-base percentage and .430 slugging percentage, giving the Dodgers slightly better overall rate statistics than Pittsburgh. The larger separation comes on the mound, where Los Angeles has produced a 3.70 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .218 batting average.

That pitching advantage becomes even more significant with Friday's matchup. Los Angeles already owns a 0.59-run advantage in team ERA, and Yamamoto's individual numbers are considerably better than Chandler's. With the Dodgers also playing at home, Los Angeles has multiple statistical advantages despite Pittsburgh's respectable offensive numbers.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Prediction

Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline

The Dodgers are the preferred side. Pittsburgh has enough offensive production to make this more interesting than the teams' overall records might suggest, but Los Angeles has a decisive starting-pitching advantage. Yamamoto's 2.60 ERA and 0.89 WHIP stand well ahead of Chandler's 4.23 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.

Los Angeles also enters on a three-game winning streak and is 37-26 at home. Pittsburgh has won three of five, but its 29-34 road record is another factor working against the upset. Take the Los Angeles Dodgers on the moneyline.

Pick: Under 8.5

If the total is set at 8.5, the under gets the lean. Yamamoto has allowed only 96 hits across 145.1 innings and carries a 0.89 WHIP, giving Los Angeles an excellent opportunity to limit a Pittsburgh offense that has otherwise produced solid season numbers.

The risk comes from the Dodgers facing Chandler, but Pittsburgh has held opponents to three runs or fewer in three of its last five games. With Yamamoto capable of controlling Pittsburgh for a substantial portion of the game, take the Under if the total is set at 8.5.

This preview was completed before play on Thursday.