Dodgers vs. Pirates Prediction, Odds & Expert Picks: MLB Best Bets for Sept. 4

Can the scuffling Dodgers overcome the always imposing Cy Young front-runner Paul Skenes?
Dodgers vs. Pirates prediction
Pictured: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes delivers a pitch against as we look at our Dodgers vs. Pirates prediction. Photo by Charles LeClaire / Imagn.

The scuffling Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to avoid a sweep in Pittsburgh, which hasn’t happened to them since 2015, and I dive into why there's value in L.A. as part of my Dodgers vs. Pirates prediction. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET (SNLA, SNP) on Thursday night from PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

My MLB picks like Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell to enjoy success against a Pirates lineup that’s been struggling against southpaws, and there’s a good opportunity to target one of his player props.


⚾ Dodgers vs. Pirates expert picks & predictions

MLB expert picks made Thursday; odds subject to change.

  • Moneyline pick: Dodgers (-120 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Run line pick: Dodgers -1.5 (+150 via betMGM) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Over/Under pick: Under 7 (+100 via Caesars) ⭐⭐
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📝 Dodgers vs. Pirates preview & best bet

Track the latest MLB scores for line movement and matchup info.

🔥 Dodgers to win (-120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dodgers vs. Pirates prediction
Pictured: Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman scores a run as we look at our Dodgers vs. Pirates prediction. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn.

The mighty Dodgers are reeling. They’ve lost four of their last five games after sweeping Cincinnati at home.

Things don’t get any easier for Los Angeles in the series finale against the Pirates, as the Dodgers will need to contend with Cy Young odds front-runner Paul Skenes. The Dodgers have enjoyed a bit of success against Skenes, scoring seven runs with three home runs over 17 1/3 innings (three starts). 

I just have a difficult time envisioning the Pirates sweeping the Dodgers, even if Los Angeles has been disappointing by its standards this season.

FanDuel, one of the best sports betting sites, is offering the Dodgers on the moneyline at -120 betting odds, which pays out a profit of $8.33 on a $10 bet. The -120 odds come with an implied probability of 54.55%.

Picking against Skenes feels wrong, but the Dodgers’ fourth-ranked lineup in OPS against right-handed pitching will do enough to prevail.

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💰 Best Dodgers vs. Pirates player prop bet

Our MLB player prop odds tool shows the best odds for every market across legal sportsbooks in your area.

⬇️ Blake Snell Under 1.5 earned runs (-110)  ⭐⭐⭐

Dodgers vs. Pirates prediction
Pictured: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell throws during the third inning as we look at our Dodgers vs. Pirates prediction. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Snell couldn’t ask for a better matchup to enjoy a good outing.

The Pirates have been scuffling against left-handers in 2025, sitting 30th in wRC+ (74), 27th in home runs (29), 29th in batting average (.216), and 30th in OPS (.631). They've also posted the second-worst strikeout rate against southpaws (25.6%), which should play right into Snell’s hands as one of MLB's more prolific strikeout pitchers.

Snell produced a strong August after returning from a lengthy injury absence, putting up a 2.54 ERA with 34 strikeouts across 28 1/3 innings.

A $10 bet on Snell to stymie the Pirates would lead a profit of $9.09 at DraftKings. The -110 odds come with an implied probability of 52.38%. 

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📊 Dodgers vs. Pirates odds: Sept. 4

MLB odds update live in real time.

📈 Dodgers vs. Pirates betting odds analysis

Los Angeles opened as -120 favorites against the Pirates, and the team has moved as high as -133 at some of the best sports betting apps as of Thursday morning.


🔢 Dodgers vs. Pirates stats

Season stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com.

Dodgers (78-61) Statistic (per game) Pirates (63-77)
5.09 Runs 3.66
8.52 Hits 7.76
.252 AVG .234
.437 SLG .353
.766 OPS .661
4.12 ERA 3.88
9.03 K/9 8.05
3.45 BB/9 2.94
1.18 HR/9 0.98

🚑 Dodgers vs. Pirates injuries

📺 Dodgers vs. Pirates game info

  • When: Thursday, Sept. 4
  • Kickoff: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
  • How to watch: SNLA, SNP

💡 Expert MLB predictions today


❓ Dodgers vs. Pirates FAQs

Who is favored to win Dodgers vs. Pirates ?

The Dodgers are -120 favorites to defeat the Pirates on the road Thursday.

What is the run line for Dodgers vs. Pirates?

Los Angeles is a -1.5 run line favorite against Pittsburgh in Thursday’s matchup.

What is the Over/Under for Dodgers vs. Pirates?

The total for Thursday’s game between the Dodgers and Pirates is 7.

What are the best bets for Dodgers vs. Pirates?

My best bets for Thursday’s Dodgers vs. Pirates game are Los Angeles on the moneyline (-120) and Blake Snell Under 1.5 earned runs (-110). 

When is the Dodgers vs. Pirates game?

First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET on Thursday at PNC Park.

How do baseball odds work?

When betting on MLB, the run line shows how many runs the favorite needs to win by in order to cash the bet. For example, a favorite of -1.5 must win by two or more runs to cover the run line, while an underdog at +1.5 must win outright or lose by one run to cover the run line.

Moneyline odds represent the payout for picking the outright winner (+200 means a $100 bet wins $200, while -200 means a $200 bet wins $100). Over/Unders let you wager on whether the combined total of runs will be higher or lower than the set number.

You can determine the payouts and implied probabilities for any wager - or convert odds to different formats - with our odds converter.

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