Pirates vs Diamondbacks Picks and Prediction – 5/28/2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates (19-35) visit the Arizona Diamondbacks (26-27) Tuesday night at Chase Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 PM EST. On the mound, it’s Mike Burrows (0-1, 7.20 ERA) for Pittsburgh going up against Corbin Burnes (3-2, 2.73 ERA) for Arizona. The Pirates are coming off a 6-5 loss to Milwaukee, while Arizona dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker to St. Louis. Both teams are trying to rebound after close defeats. Elevate your MLB game with our top-notch MLB picks.

Pittsburgh dropped three of its last five, including two one-run games against the Brewers. The offense has struggled to get going consistently, ranking near the bottom in runs scored with just 164 on the season. Bryan Reynolds is banged up and day-to-day, and missing his bat—27 RBIs and six home runs—would hurt an already thin lineup. Oneil Cruz has provided some pop with 11 home runs, while Andrew McCutchen leads the team with a .260 batting average.

On the mound, the Pirates are respectable with a 4.00 team ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Still, the starting pitching has lacked depth and innings, especially with multiple arms like Johan Oviedo and Hunter Barco on the injured list. Mike Burrows only has one start this season and gave up two homers in five innings. Bullpen support has been decent, but Arizona’s lineup presents a more dangerous challenge than what Milwaukee offered.

Arizona has hit a rough patch, losing five straight, all on the road. Each of those losses came by one run, so it’s not like the Diamondbacks are far off. The offense has been one of the more productive in the league with 267 runs and 73 home runs. Corbin Carroll is leading the team with 15 homers, while Eugenio Suárez has driven in 40 runs despite hitting just .230. Geraldo Perdomo is batting over .300 and is quietly one of the more consistent hitters in the NL.

The Diamondbacks have been average on the mound, with a team ERA of 4.67 and a WHIP of 1.32. They’ve dealt with a battered rotation—Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery, and A.J. Puk are all out. That puts more pressure on Corbin Burnes, who’s been solid with a 2.73 ERA and 51 strikeouts across 52.2 innings. The bullpen has been shaky in tight games, which explains the recent string of close losses.

This is the spot to back the underdog. Even though Burnes is the better pitcher on paper, Arizona has lost five straight, all by one run, and the bullpen hasn’t been able to close. Pittsburgh has shown it can hang in tight games, and if Burrows limits damage, the Bucs could steal this one. Final Score Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates win 4-3.