Pittsburgh Pirates vs Milwaukee Brewers Picks and Prediction for Wednesday August 5 2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates will face the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday evening. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET, with ESPN and the ESPN App providing national coverage. Pittsburgh entered Tuesday with a 57-57 record, including a 28-29 mark on the road, while Milwaukee stood at 69-43 and 36-21 at home. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Before placing your wagers, check out our free MLB picks for additional baseball predictions throughout the season.

Starting Pitchers

Paul Skenes is scheduled to start for Pittsburgh, while Milwaukee had not announced its starting pitcher when this preview was completed. Skenes enters with a 9-9 record, a 3.90 ERA, and 156 strikeouts. The right-hander recorded seven strikeouts across four innings in his previous appearance against Cincinnati, although he allowed five runs during an 8-7 defeat. Pittsburgh possesses a clear starting-pitching advantage until Milwaukee confirms its plans for Wednesday.

Pittsburgh Continues to Challenge the Division Leaders

Pittsburgh entered Tuesday having won two of its previous five games. The Pirates lost the first two games of their four-game series in Cincinnati before responding with  victories of 4-1 against the Reds. They then opened this series by defeating Milwaukee 4-3 on Monday. Pittsburgh established a four-run advantage and survived the Brewers’ comeback attempt, improving to 6-1 in the season series.

The Pirates are averaging approximately 4.3 runs per game while batting around .258 as a team. Pittsburgh has demonstrated more offensive balance than it possessed earlier in the season, but the club still depends heavily on its pitching staff to keep games manageable. The Pirates entered this series with a bullpen ERA above 4.30 and 20 blown saves, leading the organization to add several experienced relief options before the trade deadline.

Pittsburgh’s most important factor Wednesday will be receiving a longer appearance from Skenes. His 156 strikeouts demonstrate his ability to control games, but he completed only four innings against Cincinnati in his latest start. The Pirates need him to work efficiently and reduce the number of outs required from a bullpen that has struggled to protect advantages. Pittsburgh has repeatedly played Milwaukee well this season, and another strong start would give the visitors an opportunity to continue that success.

Milwaukee Attempts to Reverse Its Recent Slide

Milwaukee entered Tuesday having lost consecutive games following Monday’s 4-3 defeat. The Brewers won the first two games of their weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels by scores of 6-2 and 3-1 before being shut out 3-0 Sunday. Milwaukee then fell behind early against Pittsburgh and could not complete its comeback. Despite those defeats, the Brewers remained comfortably atop the NL Central with one of baseball’s strongest records.

The Brewers are batting approximately .253 while carrying a team ERA around 3.48. Milwaukee’s offense has produced consistent pressure through contact, patience, and timely extra-base hits rather than depending exclusively on home runs. The pitching staff has been the more significant strength, helping the Brewers build a 69-43 record and an impressive 36-21 mark at American Family Field.

Milwaukee’s primary challenge is creating offense against Skenes while navigating an uncertain pitching situation of its own. The Brewers have scored only six combined runs over their last three games, and they cannot afford another slow start against Pittsburgh’s strongest available starter. Milwaukee must force Skenes into deeper counts and prevent him from working comfortably through the early innings. The home team also needs its unannounced starter to avoid creating another early deficit.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Milwaukee Brewers Picks and Prediction

• Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline

I am taking Pittsburgh on the moneyline. Milwaukee owns the much stronger overall record and has been excellent at home, but the Pirates have dominated the season series and hold the more dependable confirmed pitching option Wednesday. Skenes enters with 156 strikeouts and gives Pittsburgh an opportunity to control the first six innings. Milwaukee’s undecided starting situation creates additional uncertainty, while the Brewers have scored only six runs across their last three games. I expect another competitive matchup, but Pittsburgh offers the better side behind Skenes.

• Pick: Under 8

I also favor Under 8 runs if that becomes the posted total. Skenes should be capable of limiting a Milwaukee offense that was shut out Sunday and scored only three times Monday. Pittsburgh has not been an especially explosive offensive team, scoring exactly four runs in each of its last three victories. Milwaukee’s 3.48 team ERA also provides confidence that the Brewers can prevent the visiting lineup from producing a large total regardless of who begins the game. I expect a close contest in which both teams remain below five runs.

This game preview was completed prior to game play on Tuesday.