Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies Picks and Prediction for Wednesday July 1 2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates travel to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, to take on the Philadelphia Phillies. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM ET, with coverage on MLB.TV. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks.

Starting Pitchers for Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies

Paul Skenes will take the mound for Pittsburgh carrying a 6-7 record with a 3.10 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP over 93.0 innings. He has allowed 70 hits, struck out 114 batters, walked 20, and surrendered nine home runs. Zack Wheeler is the scheduled starter for Philadelphia and enters with an 8-1 record, a 2.03 ERA, and a 0.86 WHIP across 75.1 innings. He has allowed 46 hits while striking out 74, walking 19, and giving up eight home runs.

Pittsburgh Attempts to Keep the Momentum Rolling

The Pirates enter this matchup with a 43-42 overall record and an even 20-20 mark on the road. Pittsburgh recently defeated Philadelphia 11-7 after earning a 9-4 win over Cincinnati. Before those victories, the Pirates lost 9-7 and 6-4 to Cincinnati before picking up a 5-1 victory over Seattle. Pittsburgh has won three of its last five games entering Wednesday’s contest.

The Pirates have posted a .259 batting average while scoring 440 runs on 763 hits. They have also hit 108 home runs with a .337 on-base percentage and a .420 slugging percentage. On the pitching side, Pittsburgh owns a 4.17 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP, has issued 308 walks, recorded 781 strikeouts, and is holding opponents to a .236 batting average. The Pirates are 22-26 in night games.

Pittsburgh’s biggest strength is its offense. The Pirates lead Philadelphia in batting average, runs scored, hits, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. That balanced production has helped fuel several high-scoring performances during their recent stretch.

Philadelphia Looks to Respond on Its Home Field

The Phillies come into this game with a 47-38 overall record and a 23-20 home record. Philadelphia recently lost 11-7 to Pittsburgh after alternating wins and losses over its previous four games. The Phillies defeated the Mets 5-4, lost 6-2 to the Mets, defeated the Mets 2-1, and beat Washington 10-5. They have gone 3-2 over their last five games despite dropping the series opener.

Philadelphia enters the matchup batting .236 with 375 runs, 675 hits, and 113 home runs. The Phillies have produced a .302 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff owns a 4.15 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP, has issued 240 walks, recorded 811 strikeouts, and allowed opponents to hit .255. Philadelphia is 32-23 in night games.

The Phillies’ biggest statistical advantage comes from their power and strikeout totals. Philadelphia has hit more home runs than Pittsburgh and has recorded 811 strikeouts, the higher total between the two clubs. Those numbers have helped offset an offense that trails Pittsburgh in several other categories.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies Picks and Prediction

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies Pick

• Pick: Philadelphia Phillies Moneyline

I’ll back Philadelphia in this matchup. While Pittsburgh has the stronger offensive numbers and won the most recent meeting 11-7, the Phillies own the better overall record and have the advantage with the listed starting pitcher. Philadelphia also enters with a strong 23-20 home record, making the home side my choice based strictly on the information provided.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies Total Pick

• Take the over if the total is set at 8.5.

I would lean toward the over if the total is set at 8.5. The previous meeting between these teams finished with 18 combined runs, and Pittsburgh has scored 440 runs this season while Philadelphia has hit 113 home runs. Even with two quality starting pitchers, both offenses have shown the ability to produce enough scoring to push this game above that total.

Final Score Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies 5 – Pittsburgh Pirates 4

This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Tuesday.