Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cleveland Guardians Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 4/18/25, 2:43 PM  by Carlos Zabala | Modified on 2/11/26 at 8:39 AM in MLB Picks

The Pirates don't want to sink to the bottom of their division so early, and by winning a series against the Cardinals and then a four-game series, 3-1, against the Nationals, their record is now 8-12 and a 6-4 win at PNC Park.

Without a break, the Pirates face another series in Pittsburgh, hosting the Guardians. They will also play back-to-back games, but they will play after 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The Pirates started the series against the Nats by scoring 10 runs in uncharacteristic fashion, ultimately giving offensive support to Skenes, who earned his second W. The Pirates then lost the game 2, won the third game 6-1, and took the final game, also winning 1-0 thanks to Cruz's solo home run, his fourth of the season. The Pirates started as a -150 favorite to win that game, in which only 10 hits were scored between the two teams.

The Guardians last visited PNC Park in 2023, and they fared quite well, winning the series 2-1 and scoring 10 or more runs in two games. The Guardians have crushed their division rivals this season but have lost all three games against the Padres, the only NL team they have faced in 2025.