See the Pirates vs Rockies Matchup Preview and Score Prediction – Saturday August 2nd, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates

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Colorado Rockies

As the Colorado Rockies prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 2, 2025, both teams find themselves in a challenging position this season. The Rockies sit at the bottom of their division with a dismal record of 29-80, while the Pirates, with a record of 47-63, are also struggling to find their footing. This matchup marks the second of a series where the Rockies lost the first game decisively as they continue to enjoy a lackluster season.

On the mound, Colorado is set to start Austin Gomber, who has had a rough year with a Win/Loss record of 0-5 and an ERA of 6.28, making him one of the least effective pitchers in MLB, ranked 285th out of approximately 350. Gomber has projected to pitch around 4.8 innings and allow an average of 3.7 earned runs today. In contrast, Pittsburgh will counter with Paul Skenes, an elite right-handed pitcher who has a solid 1.83 ERA and is ranked 2nd in MLB. Skenes is projected to throw 5.7 innings and allow only 2.5 earned runs, which gives the Pirates a significant edge in the pitching department.

Offensively, the Rockies rank just 28th in MLB, struggling particularly with consistency at the plate, as highlighted by their 25th rank in team batting average and 21st in home runs. The Pirates also battle offensive issues, ranking dead last overall, but they hold a respectable position in stolen bases at 10th.

Given the current projections, the Rockies are seen as big underdogs with a moneyline of +175. However, if Gomber can overcome his struggles and exploit the Pirates’ lack of power, there may be an unexpected opportunity for Colorado to capitalize on their pitching advantage and secure a win. With the game total sitting at a high 10.0 runs, expect plenty of action at Coors Field.

Pittsburgh Pirates Insights

• Paul Skenes – Over/Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-115/-115)
  Paul Skenes’s 97.5-mph velocity on his fastball this season is a notable 1.4-mph decline from last season’s 98.9-mph mark.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs, so a pitcher whose velocity decreases will likely see worse results.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates have been the unluckiest offense in the game this year, according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X), and are likely to perform better the rest of the season
  Explain: When teams underperform their projected talent level, markets may undervalue them even while they are likely to perform better in the near future.

Colorado Rockies Insights

• Austin Gomber – Over/Under 15.5 Pitching Outs (+110/-140)
  Austin Gomber has tallied 14.5 outs per GS this year, ranking in the 16th percentile.
  Explain: A pitcher who averages more outs per start than his Outs prop may be a good bet to go over, and visa-versa for the under.
• Colorado Rockies – 2H Moneyline
  The Colorado Rockies bullpen ranks as the 9th-best in Major League Baseball, via the leading projection system (THE BAT).
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.

Betting Trends

• Colorado Rockies – Over/Under 3.5 Team Total (-135/+105)
  The Colorado Rockies have hit the Team Total Under in 52 of their last 89 games (+9.62 Units / 9% ROI)
• Pittsburgh Pirates – Over/Under 5.5 Team Total (-135/+105)
  The Pittsburgh Pirates have hit the Team Total Under in 59 of their last 96 games (+19.05 Units / 17% ROI)