Pittsburgh Pirates vs Toronto Blue Jays Picks and Prediction for Saturday May 23 2026
Use Code WWWC The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday at 3:07 PM ET on MLB.TV. Pittsburgh is 26-24 and third in the NL Central, while Toronto is 23-27 and fourth in the AL East. The Pirates have won two straight games after taking the final two contests against St. Louis, while Toronto has also won back-to-back games after victories over the Yankees. This is the second game of the weekend series between the teams. Find value with our free MLB picks.
Pirates Continuing Strong Recent Pitching
Pittsburgh enters this matchup after a 6-2 win over St. Louis and has won three of its last five games overall. The Pirates have allowed only three total runs during their last two victories and continue to receive excellent production from the pitching staff. Pittsburgh has also played solid baseball away from home with a 13-11 road record entering Toronto.
The Pirates are hitting .253 with a .335 on-base percentage and .391 slugging percentage, producing 248 runs on 441 hits. Oneil Cruz leads the offense with 10 home runs, 33 RBI, and 16 stolen bases, while Brandon Lowe has added 13 home runs with a .558 slugging percentage. Nick Gonzales is batting .319 with 51 hits, and Ryan O’Hearn owns a .289 average with 29 RBI. Bryan Reynolds has contributed 31 RBI with a .372 OBP, helping Pittsburgh produce consistent offense throughout the lineup.
Pitching has been the biggest strength for Pittsburgh this season. The Pirates carry a 3.85 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while holding opponents to a .226 batting average. Pittsburgh has recorded 445 strikeouts through 50 games and continues to rank among the stronger staffs in the National League. The bullpen has also delivered quality innings recently during the current winning stretch.
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Injuries: Chris Devenski, 15-Day IL, Jared Jones, 60-Day IL, Joey Bart, 10-Day IL, Oddanier Mosqueda, 60-Day IL, Mike Clevinger, 7-Day IL
Blue Jays Trying to Build Momentum
Toronto enters this matchup after consecutive wins over the Yankees by scores of 2-1 and 2-0. The Blue Jays have won three of their last five games overall and continue trying to climb back into the AL East race. Toronto has been inconsistent offensively at times, but has received better pitching recently during the road trip through New York.
The Blue Jays are hitting .243 with a .306 on-base percentage and .370 slugging percentage, producing 202 runs on 408 hits. Ernie Clement leads the lineup with a .296 batting average and 56 hits, while Kazuma Okamoto has contributed 10 home runs and 27 RBI. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. owns a .374 OBP with 22 RBI, and Daulton Varsho has added five home runs with a .441 slugging percentage. Andres Gimenez has contributed 27 RBI and six stolen bases through 47 games this season.
Toronto’s pitching staff has posted respectable overall numbers with a 3.92 ERA and 1.28 WHIP while holding opponents to a .245 batting average. The Blue Jays have recorded 458 strikeouts through 50 games, one of the higher totals in the American League. However, Toronto has struggled at times against stronger offensive clubs at Rogers Centre.
Injuries: Jesus Sanchez, Day-To-Day, Nathan Lukes, 10-Day IL, Yimi Garcia, 60-Day IL, Fernando Perez, OUT, CJ Stubbs, 7-Day IL
Pitching Matchup
Pittsburgh Pirates – Paul Skenes
Skenes is 6-3 with a 2.62 ERA and 0.71 WHIP across 55.0 innings. The right-hander has allowed only 31 hits with 63 strikeouts and eight walks this season. Skenes has also posted dominant road numbers with a 2.61 ERA away from home.
Toronto Blue Jays – Patrick Corbin
Corbin is 1-1 with a 4.23 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 38.1 innings. The left-hander has allowed 44 hits with 25 strikeouts and 13 walks while struggling at times, limiting baserunners at home.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Toronto Blue Jays Spread Pick
The Pirates have the advantage because of the significant edge in the starting pitching matchup. Skenes continues to rank among the best starters in baseball with a 0.71 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 55 innings. Pittsburgh also enters with stronger recent pitching form after allowing only three runs across the last two games. The Pirates are in a favorable position to win on the road.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Toronto Blue Jays Over/Under Pick
This game will cash under as Skenes continues controlling opposing lineups at his current level. Pittsburgh owns a 3.85 ERA as a team, while Toronto has scored only four total runs across the last two games. With both clubs receiving solid bullpen production recently, scoring opportunities could remain limited throughout Saturday’s matchup.
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