The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Houston Astros on Thursday. Consider that this is the finale of a three-game series and will be nationally televised on FS1. The Pirates come into the baseball betting odds matchup at 32-28 and sit third in the NL Central. While the Astros are at 27-34 and remain near the bottom of the AL West. Pittsburgh has played competitive baseball all season. But they have struggled on the road. Overall, Houston has been inconsistent and is looking to salvage the series at home.
Offensively, the Pirates are led by Bryan Reynolds, who remains a steady presence in left field with a solid batting average and run production. Andrew McCutchen provides veteran leadership and power as the designated hitter. While Oneil Cruz brings exciting power and speed at shortstop. Other contributors include Nick Gonzales, Jared Triolo, and Rowdy Tellez, who add depth to the lineup. The offense relies on contact and speed. But it has struggled to score runs consistently away from PNC Park.
Offensively, the team still features several established offshore betting stars. Jose Altuve continues to provide leadership and contact hitting at second base. While Yordan Alvarez remains one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball when healthy. Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Christian Walker add power and experience to the lineup. Although the group as a whole has underperformed expectations this year, with lower run production than in recent seasons.
Pittsburgh Pirates at Houston Astros MLB Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Thursday, June 4, 2026, 8:10 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. |
| TV Coverage: | FS1 |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates | +1½ ( -205 ) | 8½ ( -115 ) | -110 |  |
| Astros | -1½ ( +165 ) | 8½ ( -105 ) | -110 | |
| ||||
The Pittsburgh Pirates play against the Houston Astros on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. The game is scheduled to start at 8:10 p.m. Eastern Time. This is the third and final game of the series. National television coverage is on FS1.
Probable Starting Pitchers and Bullpens
The Pittsburgh Pirates probable starting pitcher is Jared Jones. He enters the MLB odds matchup with a 0-0 record and a 10.38 ERA over 1 start and 4.1 innings pitched. In sum, he has allowed 7 hits, 5 earned runs, and 2 home runs while walking 2 and striking out 6 for a 2.08 WHIP.
The Houston Astros probable starting pitcher is Kai-Wei Teng. He enters the game with a 3-3 record and a 2.57 ERA over 18 starts and 42.0 innings pitched. Overall, he has allowed 27 hits, 12 earned runs, and 5 home runs while walking 19 and striking out 43 for a 1.10 WHIP.
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen has been average to slightly below average in 2026, with an overall ERA of around 4.10-4.40. Gregory Soto has been the primary closer with 7 saves and a solid low-2.00s ERA. While showing good strikeout ability. Additionally, Yohan Ramírez and Dennis Santana have provided decent high-leverage work. Although they have been inconsistent at times. Mason Montgomery and Evan Sisk add left-handed depth. The group has decent strikeout numbers but can be vulnerable to giving up hits and occasional big innings.
The Houston Astros bullpen has struggled this season and ranks near the bottom of the league with an ERA of around 5.10-5.20. Bryan King has handled most closing duties with around 6 saves. But the unit as a whole has been unreliable. Steven Okert and Enyel De Los Santos are among the better options in middle relief with ERAs in the mid-3.00s. While AJ Blubaugh and Bryan Abreu have had rougher outings. Overall, the Astros’ pen has shown weakness in limiting hard contact and home runs, raising concerns about its late-inning effectiveness.
SBG Free Picks
The Houston Astros are the best side on Thursday night. Kai-Wei Teng is on the mound at home, carrying a strong 2.57 ERA, versus Jared Jones. Of major concern is that Jones has a very rough 10.38 ERA in his limited action. Thus, the Astros are solid. Finally, for the total, the under is the recommended bet. Teng has been effective at limiting runs this season. Although Jones has struggled, the Pirates tend to play lower-scoring games on the road.
SBG Best Bet: Houston Astros and Under the Total.