New York Mets vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction for Sunday, August 9, 2026

The New York Mets visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday at 1:35 PM ET at PNC Park. New York is 51-66, fifth in the NL East and 19.5 games behind Atlanta. The Mets have won four straight after Friday’s 6-4 victory over Pittsburgh. The Pirates are 57-61, fifth in the NL Central and 16 games behind Milwaukee. Pittsburgh has lost four straight and has scored only 10 runs during that stretch. New York leads the current series 1-0 entering Saturday’s game. Build your bankroll with our free MLB picks.

New York Mets Riding Four-Game Winning Streak

New York is batting .235 with 488 runs, 141 home runs, a .305 on-base percentage, and a .387 slugging percentage. The Mets have found more offense recently, scoring at least six runs in each game of their four-game winning streak and producing 31 runs during that span. Juan Soto leads New York with 21 home runs while batting .283 with 52 RBIs, a .408 on-base percentage, and .947 OPS. Bo Bichette has a team-high 119 hits and 56 RBIs, while Carson Benge is batting .270 with 13 homers and 18 stolen bases.

The Mets rank 13th in MLB pitching with a 4.09 ERA and 1.30 WHIP while holding opponents to a .238 batting average. New York has recorded 1,050 strikeouts, 20 saves, five shutouts, and 32 quality starts. The staff has allowed 17 runs during the four-game winning streak, including four or fewer in three of those games. New York is 26-32 away from home and 23-26 in day games.

Injuries: Austin Warren (15-Day IL), Carson Benge (Day-To-Day), Justin Hagenman (60-Day IL), Mark Vientos (10-Day IL), Cionel Perez (15-Day IL).

Pittsburgh Pirates Trying to Stop Four-Game Slide

Pittsburgh ranks third in MLB with a .256 batting average and has scored 588 runs with 143 home runs, a .333 on-base percentage, and .412 slugging percentage. Nick Gonzales is batting .311 with a team-high 132 hits, while Brandon Lowe leads Pittsburgh with 24 home runs and 73 RBIs. Bryan Reynolds has added 15 homers and 63 RBIs with a team-best .377 on-base percentage. The Pirates have struggled recently, scoring only two runs in each of three straight losses at Milwaukee before producing four against New York on Friday.

The Pirates rank 21st in MLB pitching with a 4.31 ERA and 1.32 WHIP while opponents are batting .241. Pittsburgh has recorded 1,087 strikeouts, 23 saves, six shutouts, and 36 quality starts. The staff has allowed 19 runs during the current four-game losing streak. Pittsburgh is 29-29 at PNC Park but has performed much better during daytime games, carrying a 30-20 record into Sunday.

Injuries: Oneil Cruz (60-Day IL), Konnor Griffin (60-Day IL), Ryan O’Hearn (10-Day IL), Mitch Keller (60-Day IL).

Pitching Matchup

New York Mets – Sean Manaea

Manaea is 3-5 with a 4.33 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 97.2 innings. The left-hander has allowed 100 hits and 35 walks while recording 95 strikeouts and surrendering 13 home runs. Manaea faces a Pittsburgh lineup that ranks among MLB’s best in batting average, making his ability to limit baserunners particularly important Sunday.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Jared Jones

Jones enters at 2-3 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.11 WHIP through 56 innings. The right-hander has allowed only 46 hits and 16 walks while striking out 62 and surrendering nine home runs. Jones has done a better job limiting baserunners than Manaea, but New York’s recent scoring form presents a difficult assignment.

New York Mets vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Pick

• New York Mets

New York is the pick based largely on the major difference in recent form. The Mets have won four straight while scoring 31 runs, including six in Friday’s series-opening victory. Pittsburgh has lost four consecutive games and scored only 10 runs during that stretch. Jones owns the better WHIP in the starting matchup, but New York has the stronger overall pitching numbers with a 4.09 team ERA compared with Pittsburgh’s 4.31 mark. The Mets’ improved offense provides enough support to extend their winning streak Sunday.

New York Mets vs Pittsburgh Pirates Over/Under Pick

• Over

The over is the call because New York’s recent offensive production outweighs Pittsburgh’s scoring struggles. The Mets have scored six or more runs in four consecutive games, including 13 against Cleveland and six against Pittsburgh on Friday. Manaea carries a 4.33 ERA and 1.38 WHIP against a Pirates lineup batting .256, while Jones has surrendered nine home runs in only 56 innings. With both starters carrying ERAs above 4.00 and New York producing 31 runs during its winning streak, the scoring numbers favor the over Sunday.