Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 5/1/26, 3:00 PM  by Lou Aguila | Modified on 5/5/26 at 3:55 AM in MLB Picks

Winless in their last five games, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in a bad shape heading into a crucial series with the Cincinnati Reds, who are looking like a strong bet to steal a win on the road (+116 moneyline).

Current Form: The Cincinnati Reds have won 3 of their last 5 games, including a 6-4 win over the Colorado Rockies in the finale of that series. The Pittsburgh Pirates, who started the week with a 16-11 record, are in danger of falling below .500 after absorbing five consecutive losses, four of which came against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Matchup: Pittsburgh has won 6 of its last 10 meetings against Cincinnati. In these victories, the Pirates won by at least two runs over the Reds.

Starting Pitchers: Reds RHP Brady Singer (2-1, 4.97 ERA) vs. Mitch Keller (2-1, 3.18 ERA).

Despite sporting a 4.97 ERA, Brady Singer has led the Reds to victory in his last 3 starts and 4 of his last 5. However, Singer has to pitch with extra caution against the Pirates because he has lost his last three starts against these teams, including back-to-back games in which he surrendered 4 earned runs.

Keller lowered his ERA to 3.18 after conceding five runs over 12 innings in his last two starts. Keller also performed well in two starts against the Reds last year, giving up three earned runs over 11.2 innings.