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- May 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart (14) and relief pitcher Dennis Santana (60) celebrate after defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Philadelphia Phillies Preview, Predictions, & Odds | May 16, 2025

Originally posted on Total Apex Fantasy Sports
By Matt Brown | Last updated May 16, 2025 11:19 AM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates (15-29) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (25-18)

Game Details: Friday, May 16, 2025 @ 6:45 pm EST

Location: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A. Heaney (L) vs. R. Suarez (L)

Where to Watch: MLB.TV

The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to take on the Philadelphia Phillies in the Battle for Pennsylvania. The Pirates have been disappointing this season despite the presence of superstars like Paul Skenes. Offense has been the main issue. The same cannot be said for the Phillies. They have one of the best offenses in the league, and their pitching staff gets plenty of strikeouts. They open up a three-game set over the weekend on Friday. Who will get the first win in the Battle of Pennsylvania?

Betting Odds

Team	Spread	Total Runs	Money Line
	+1.5 (-108)	Over 8.5 (-115)	+195
	-1.5 (-112)	Under 8.5 (-105)	-238

** Odds Courtesy of DraftKings**

Apex Tale of The Tape

	*Team Stats*
3.07	Runs/G	4.70
.219	BA	.257
.300	OBP	.335
.327	SLG	.402
.628	OPS	.736
31	HR	45
49	SB	39
4.01	ERA	3.90
1.26	WHIP	1.26
7.42	K/9	9.73
.983	Fielding Percentage	.990
8	Saves	13

Projected Starting Pitchers H2H

*Andrew Heaney*	*Player Stats*	*Ranger Suarez*
2-3	W/L	1-0
3.15	ERA	5.91
45.2	IP	10.2
1.12	WHIP	1.22
36	K	11
16	BB	3

Key Stats

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the worst offenses in the major leagues. They are 30th in the league in runs per game, getting just over three runs per game. This doesn’t mean that everyone in the lineup is having a rough year. Over the past seven games, left fielder Alexander Canario is slashing .381/.619/1.054, with two doubles and a home run. The same cannot be said for young star Oneil Cruz. He is only hitting .125 in the past seven games.

Left-hander Andrew Heaney heads to the mound looking to prove he can dominate the better teams in the league. Against the Angels and Nationals, he gave up no earned runs. However, in his last three starts against the Cubs, Padres, and Braves, he has given up ten earned runs and walked a total of ten batters. It’s worth noting that against the Braves, he only gave up two earned runs over six innings, and the team lost in 11 innings.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the best offenses in the majors this season. They are getting contributions from up and down the lineup. Over the past seven games, third baseman Alex Brohm is slashing .438/.688/1.214 while catcher JT Realmuto is slashing .357/.714/1.152. Additionally, Kyle Schwarber is tied for the league lead in home runs with 15, three of which have come in the last week.

Left-hander Ranger Suarez takes the mound for his third start of the season. In his first start, he was tagged for seven earned runs by the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, he rebounded nicely in his last start. Against the Cleveland Guardians, he only gave up three hits over seven innings, striking out five. He looks to continue this trend against a lineup that doesn’t have a lot of juice.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia Phillies Betting Trends

	*Betting Stats*
3-7	W/L 10	6-4
18-26	ATS	21-22
16-25-3	O/U	19-23-1

Prediction

In poring through the stats, I don’t see any clear advantage for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup is too potent, and they are playing at home. Heaney struggles with control and will get into trouble early, leading to plenty of runs early. From there, the Phillies cruise to victory and easily cover the spread.