Blue Jays vs. Pirates Prediction, Odds & Best Bets: Back Blue Jays, Gausman to Upend Pirates

Who comes out on top in a pitcher's duel between between the Blue Jays and Pirates tonight?

Josh Goldberg

Last Updated: August 18, 2025 6:36 AM EDT • 3 minute read

Blue Jays vs. Pirates Prediction, Odds & Best Bets: Monday, Aug. 18 — Pictured: Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman delivers a pitch as we make our best Blue Jays vs. Pirates prediction. Photo by Dan Hamilton via Imagn Images.

Paul Skenes has the Pittsburgh Pirates positioned as a home betting favorite against the Toronto Blue Jays tonight, but my Blue Jays vs. Pirates prediction focuses on why he might not be enough. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET from PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Despite his dominant stuff and sparkling ERA, Skenes has only seven wins this season. Pittsburgh’s offensive struggles saw it muster just seven runs over its last three games. Those offensive struggles, combined with Kevin Gausman’s recent performances, should give the Blue Jays a big advantage in our Blue Jays vs. Pirates best bets.

⚾ Blue Jays vs. Pirates prediction & odds

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💰 Blue Jays vs. Pirates prediction & best bet

✅ Blue Jays vs. Pirates prediction: Blue Jays to win (+100 via DraftKings)

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It’s rare for a division leader like the Blue Jays to be an underdog against a last-place team like the Pirates. But such is life when you have to go up against a superstar talent like Skenes.

Skenes has been brilliant in his sophomore season, but has allowed four earned runs in two of his last three starts, which is a key to our Blue Jays vs. Pirates prediction. The Blue Jays are the best team in baseball at avoiding strikeouts and putting the ball in play, which looks like the ideal recipe for having any success against Skenes.

Gausman will oppose Skenes and is coming off consecutive seven-inning gems. The combination of Gausman and a deep, versatile lineup should be enough to get the job done in our Blue Jays vs. Pirates best bet.

💰 Best Blue Jays vs. Pirates player prop

✅ Best Blue Jays vs. Pirates player prop: Kevin Gausman over 5.5 strikeouts (+100 via DraftKings)

Gausman has been excellent in consecutive starts, lowering his ERA from 3.99 to 3.79 in the process after allowing just three runs in 14 innings.

He’s struck out almost one batter per inning this season and draws a Pirates lineup that ranks in the bottom five in MLB with a 23.5% strikeout rate. Gausman’s ability to pitch deep and miss bats at a reasonable clip is a perfect combination as we make our best Blue Jays vs. Pirates prop pick.

Gausman has struggled to avoid home runs at times this season, but the Pirates are below average in barrel rate and are 30th in the league with just 88 homers. The setup couldn't be better for Gausman to pitch deep into the game and pile up the strikeouts to neutralize the Pirates.

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Written by:
Josh Goldberg

Josh is a sports writer, editor, host, and producer from Toronto, Ontario. Before joining Sportsbookreview.com, Josh spent over a decade covering Major League Baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays for Sportsnet 590 The Fan and theScore in Toronto. He also hosts a weekly Toronto Blue Jays podcast called Designated for Assignment. Josh has been betting for over a decade and is active in the prop markets for MLB, the NFL, NBA, and NHL. He hit a six-leg touchdown parlay about a decade ago, solidifying his love for betting props. Josh also subscribes to the importance of betting with the most information available and trying to stay consistent with the number of units he allocates for each wager. At the end of the day, it's important to find a way to continue having fun while also being informed and responsible when laying a bet.