New York Mets vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction for Saturday August 8 2026

On Saturday, the New York Mets (50-66) face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (57-60) at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates are looking to stop their skid as they’ve fallen under the .500 mark. Get involved in the action with our free MLB picks.

New York vs Pittsburgh Game Information

• August 8, 2026
• 6:40 PM EST
• PNC Park
• MLB.TV/SportsNet New York/Fubo

Pittsburgh Form & Recent Results

Pittsburgh heads into this matchup trying to stop the bleeding after dropping three straight games, and four of their last five overall entering Friday. A big part of that skid has come on the road against division competition, with three of those losses happening in Milwaukee against the Brewers and another in Cincinnati against the Reds. On Thursday, the Pirates fell 5–2 to the Brewers, but second baseman Brandon Lowe at least provided a spark at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run. He also scored a run and drove in one of Pittsburgh’s two RBIs in the loss.

Even with the recent struggles, a few individual performances have stood out this season. Lowe has been the team’s main power threat, leading the Pirates with 24 home runs, and he’s also their top run producer with 72 RBIs. Right fielder Ryan O’Hearn has been the next-best home run hitter, sitting at 17 on the year, while third baseman Nick Gonzales has been their most consistent pure hitter, leading the team with a .309 batting average. On the pitching side, Pittsburgh showed some positives Thursday by striking out 10, throwing 91 strikes, and issuing only two walks, but the results still haven’t followed. Over their last five games, they’ve given up an average of 5.2 runs, and with the team starting to slide below the .500 mark, they’ll be looking to turn things around before the slump grows into something bigger.

New York Form & Recent Results

New York comes into Saturday riding a three-game winning streak, and they’ve now taken three of their last five overall heading into Friday. Those three wins all came during a road sweep of the Guardians in Cleveland, where the Mets’ bats stayed hot from start to finish. In Thursday’s 13–6 win, catcher Luis Torrens had a strong night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a single and a homer, plus a walk, two runs scored, and two RBI. The offense did its job in a big way, piling up 18 hits, three home runs, and 32 total bases, giving them plenty of breathing room throughout the game.

On the mound, it wasn’t a flawless outing, but it was enough to keep things under control. Starter Nolan McLean went five innings and gave up eight hits and five earned runs, while also issuing three walks, but he balanced that out by punching out eight Guardians hitters. Overall, the Mets’ pitching staff struck out 12, allowed 10 hits, and walked four. Looking at the bigger picture this season, Juan Soto has been the main power threat, leading the team with 21 home runs and batting .283, while Marcus Semien and Carson Benge sit next with 13 homers apiece. Bo Bichette has been their most productive run-driver, leading New York with 56 RBI. Over their last five games, the Mets are averaging 5.4 runs per game, and they’ll try to keep that momentum going against a Pirates team that’s been scuffling.

Key Stats

• New York’s Juan Soto this season: 11 HRs, 56 RBI, .257 AVG
• Pittsburgh’s Brandon Lowe this season: 24 HR, 72 RBI, .255 AVG

New York vs Pittsburgh Picks and Prediction

Pittsburgh has dipped below the .500 mark lately, and they’ll try to steady themselves Saturday when they take on the Mets in the second game of their three-game set. The Pirates are handing the ball to right-hander Bubba Chandler, who’s 4–8 with a 4.49 ERA on the year, and they’ll be counting on him to slow down a Mets lineup that’s been swinging it well. Back at home, Pittsburgh will be looking for a much-needed bounce-back performance. Final Score Prediction, Pittsburgh Pirates win 1-0.