Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction for Sunday, May 31, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Minnesota Twins visit the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Sunday at 1:35 PM ET on MLB.TV. Minnesota is 27-31 and third in the AL Central, while Pittsburgh is 30-28 and fourth in the NL Central. The Pirates opened this series with a 6-5 victory Friday night and have won three of their last five games overall. Minnesota enters on a three-game losing streak after dropping four of its last five contests. Check out today’s free MLB picks.
Twins Looking to End Recent Slide
Minnesota dropped Friday’s opener 6-5 despite collecting nine hits and creating several scoring chances late in the game. The Twins have now lost four of their last five contests and have allowed 35 runs during that stretch. Minnesota has also struggled on the road with a 12-17 record entering the series finale.
The Twins are hitting .234 with a .316 on-base percentage and .383 slugging percentage, producing 263 runs on 454 hits through 58 games. Byron Buxton leads the offense with 17 home runs and a .564 slugging percentage, while Brooks Lee has driven in 30 runs. Ryan Jeffers is batting .295 with seven home runs and a .949 OPS, and Austin Martin has a .278 average with a .385 OBP. Minnesota has totaled 62 home runs and averages 4.5 runs per game.
Pitching has been inconsistent throughout the season. The Twins carry a 4.38 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .245. Minnesota has recorded 457 strikeouts but has struggled recently, limiting opposing offenses in key situations.
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Injuries: Julian Merryweather, 7-Day IL, Matt Canterino, 60-Day IL, Cole Sands, 15-Day IL, Mick Abel, 15-Day IL, Walker Jenkins, 7-Day IL
Pirates Building Momentum at Home
Pittsburgh opened the series with a 6-5 win on Friday and continues playing solid baseball at PNC Park. The Pirates have won three of their last five games and remain in the middle of the NL Central race. The offense has produced 26 runs during the last five contests despite facing several competitive pitching staffs.
The Pirates are hitting .250 with a .332 on-base percentage and .391 slugging percentage, producing 282 runs on 503 hits. Brandon Lowe leads the club with 14 home runs and 36 RBI, while Bryan Reynolds has added 37 RBI and a .395 OBP. Oneil Cruz has contributed 12 home runs, 17 stolen bases, and 59 hits, while Nick Gonzales is batting .295. Pittsburgh ranks among the better offensive clubs in baseball and averages nearly 4.9 runs per game.
Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has been one of the strengths of the team. The Pirates have a 3.84 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .227 batting average. Pittsburgh has also recorded 524 strikeouts through 58 games and continues receiving quality work from both the rotation and bullpen.
Injuries: Chris Devenski, 15-Day IL, Oddanier Mosqueda, 60-Day IL, Mike Clevinger, 7-Day IL, Sean Sullivan, 60-Day IL, Anthony Solometo, 60-Day IL
Pitching Matchup
Minnesota Twins – Zebby Matthews
Matthews is 1-2 with a 2.37 ERA and 0.84 WHIP across 19 innings this season. The right-hander has allowed only 14 hits and two walks while striking out 17 batters. He has completed at least six innings in all three starts and has surrendered only five earned runs.
Pittsburgh Pirates – Braxton Ashcraft
Ashcraft is 4-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over 68.2 innings. The right-hander has allowed 55 hits while striking out 70 batters and issuing only 17 walks. Ashcraft has allowed seven earned runs across his last five starts and is coming off a strong outing against the Cubs.
Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates Pick
Pittsburgh has the advantage entering Sunday because of the stronger offense and more reliable overall pitching staff. The Pirates rank ahead of Minnesota in batting average, runs scored, ERA, WHIP, and opponent batting average. Ashcraft has also been one of the most dependable starters in the NL Central, while the Pirates continue swinging the bats well at home. Pittsburgh will win behind another quality start from Ashcraft.
Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates Over/Under Pick
This matchup will cash under because both starting pitchers have been excellent entering the series finale. Matthews owns a 2.37 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, while Ashcraft carries a 2.75 ERA across nearly 69 innings. Pittsburgh's pitching staff ranks among the better groups in baseball, and Minnesota has scored two runs or fewer in three of its last five games. With two effective starters on the mound and both bullpens capable of protecting leads, runs could be difficult to find Sunday afternoon.
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