Pirates vs Royals Picks and Prediction – 7/9/2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates (38-54) visit the Kansas City Royals (44-48) this Wednesday at 5:40 PM ET in Kauffman Stadium. Pittsburgh suffered a tough 9-3 defeat against Kansas City last game, marking a fourth straight loss. The Royals, on the other hand, are riding high after a convincing victory, looking to maintain momentum behind starter Kris Bubic (7-6, 2.36 ERA), who faces off against Pittsburgh’s Bailey Falter (6-4, 3.69 ERA). Elevate your MLB game with our top-notch MLB picks.

Pittsburgh enters struggling badly, dropping eight of the last ten games. Offensively, the Pirates' batting average sits at .231, with Andrew McCutchen (.258 AVG) as the most consistent hitter. Oneil Cruz has provided power with 15 homers, though batting just .203. In the recent 9-3 loss to the Royals, Pittsburgh's offense looked completely stagnant again, continuing a worrying trend.

On the mound, pitching remains Pittsburgh’s lone bright spot with a team ERA of 3.61, yet recent performances have faltered badly, allowing 17 runs over the last four games. Injuries aren’t helping, either, with pitchers Ryan Borucki and Anthony Solometo still sidelined. This compromised bullpen and lineup will need Falter at his absolute best to have any chance against a hot Kansas City team.

Kansas City Royals have surged lately, taking four of the last five, including the dominant 9-3 triumph over Pittsburgh. Vinnie Pasquantino, with 15 home runs, 56 RBI, and a solid .271 batting average, continues to power an offense batting .243 as a team. Maikel Garcia complements nicely with a .306 batting average and a .365 OBP.

Kansas City boasts stronger pitching overall with a collective ERA of 3.48, anchored by starter Kris Bubic’s impressive 2.36 ERA and 107 strikeouts over 103 innings. Despite dealing with injuries to Hunter Harvey and Cole Ragans, the Royals' pitching has remained strong, especially Bubic, who figures prominently in the Royals' plan to keep dominating Pittsburgh’s ice-cold offense.

With the Royals playing well recently and riding Bubic’s powerful arm (2.36 ERA, 107 strikeouts), they're well-positioned against Pittsburgh, losers of four straight and struggling offensively (.231 AVG). The Pirates' pitching, despite solid overall stats (3.61 ERA), looks shaky of late, which is trouble facing the Royals' solid lineup (.243 AVG, 63 HR). Kansas City should comfortably win. Final Score Prediction: Royals win 6-2.