Pittsburgh Pirates vs Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 9/4/25, 3:36 PM  by Lou Aguila | Modified on 2/3/26 at 8:35 AM in MLB Picks

Thursday’s Game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates will put the spotlight on the mound, where former CY Young winner Blake Snell of the Dodgers takes on CY Young Award contender Paul Skenes of the Pirates.

The total for this game has been set at 7 runs over/under, as bookmakers brace for an electric duel between Snell and Skenes.

Current Form:

The Dodgers have gone 1-4 in their last five games, but miraculously still occupy the No.1 spot in the NL West with a 78-61 record, 2.5 games ahead of the trailing San Diego Padres. The Dodgers’ run production over the last five games has plunged to an abysmal 2.7 runs per game on a .222 batting average from their elite season average of 5.2 runs per game on a .253 batting average. Los Angeles’ pitching is also down, posting a dreadful 5.23 over the 5-game stretch. The Dodgers carry a 4.12 ERA in the season.

The Pirates might be out of the postseason race already, but they are definitely showing signs that they can be a scary team in the coming years. Pittsburgh’s pitching numbers over the last five games are beyond fantastic, as they have posted a remarkable 2.45 ERA over the stretch. Averaging 3.3 runs per game in the season, the Pirates’ offense has also delivered the goods, scoring 5.9 runs per game on a .257 batting average.