See the Updated Player Rankings for Mets vs Pirates – August 8, 2026

New York Mets

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Pittsburgh Pirates

New York Mets Insights

• Robert Stock – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-140/+110)
  The Pittsburgh Pirates have 6 batters in the projected offense that will have the handedness advantage over Robert Stock in this game, which is especially precarious given his large platoon split.
  Explain: Right-handed pitchers perform worse against left-handed hitters (and visa-versa). If several hitters hold this advantage against the pitcher, it can have a huge impact on whether he will perform well or struggle on any given day.
• Jorge Polanco – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-145/+115)
  Jorge Polanco is projected to hit 8th in the batting order in this matchup, which would be a downgrade from his 65% rate of hitting in the top-half of the lineup this year.
  Explain: The lower in the order a player bats, the fewer plate appearances he will get and the fewer opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits lower in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting higher.
• New York Mets bats jointly rank 7th- in the majors for power this year when judging by their 8.7% Barrel%.
  Explain: Barrel% measures how often a player hits the ball at the optimal exit velocity and launch angle and is a terrific measure of underlying power.

Pittsburgh Pirates Insights

• Bubba Chandler – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-115/-115)
  Among all starting pitchers, Bubba Chandler’s fastball velocity of 97.9 mph is in the 99th percentile this year.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• Jake Mangum – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+120/-150)
  Jake Mangum’s average exit velocity has declined this year; his 87.4-mph mark last season has dropped off to 85.2-mph.
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Henry Davis – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-110/-120)
  In today’s game, Henry Davis is at a disadvantage facing the league’s 10th-deepest LF fences given that he hits his flyballs to the pull field at a 38.9% rate (95th percentile).
  Explain: This player’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• Pittsburgh Pirates – Over/Under 2.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (-110/-120)
  The Pittsburgh Pirates have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Over in 26 of their last 45 games (+4.95 Units / 9% ROI)
• New York Mets – Over/Under 2.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (+105/-135)
  The New York Mets have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 15 of their last 23 games (+6.80 Units / 25% ROI)
• Francisco Alvarez – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-145/+115)
  Francisco Alvarez has hit the Hits Over in 18 of his last 25 away games (+7.40 Units / 19% ROI)