MLB Game Preview: new York Mets (48-36) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (34-50)

First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. ET, with coverage on SNY, ATTP, and MLB.tv.

Matchup	New York Mets vs Pittsburgh Pirates
Date & Time	Sunday, June 29 – 1:35 p.m. ET
Venue	PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast	SNY, ATTP, MLB.tv

This is the series finale of a three-game set. The Pirates took the opener 9–1, while the Mets are looking to bounce back and avoid a series loss.

Team Form & Trends

New York Mets (48–36, 1st in NL East)

• Recent Form: 3–1 in last 4 games as favorites
• Offensive Leaders:
  • Juan Soto: .333 AVG, 4 HR, 5 RBI in last 5 games
  • Pete Alonso: .292 AVG, 65 RBI – 14th in MLB HR rankings
• Team Trends:

• 67.2% win rate when favored this season
• 5–5 ATS in last 10 games

Pittsburgh Pirates (33–51, 5th in NL Central)

• Recent Form: 2–4 in last 6 games as underdogs
• Offensive Leaders:
  • Oneil Cruz: 13 HR – leads team, ranks 39th in MLB
  • Bryan Reynolds: Key run producer with consistent contact hitting
• Team Trends:

• 38.6% win rate as underdogs
• 8 of last 10 games have gone Over the total

Projected Starting Pitchers

New York Mets: Tylor Megill (RHP)

• Record: 4–4 ERA: 4.12 WHIP: 1.31
• Last Start: 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 K vs Braves
• Trend: Mets have won 3 of his last 4 starts

Pittsburgh Pirates: Bailey Falter (LHP)

• Record: 3–7 ERA: 4.76 WHIP: 1.38
• Last Start: 5.1 IP, 3 ER vs Brewers
• Trend: Pirates are 2–6 in his last 8 starts

Key Matchups to Watch

• Juan Soto vs. Falter: Soto is red-hot and crushes lefties (.310 AVG vs LHP)
• Oneil Cruz vs. Megill: Cruz has 3 HR in last 7 games and thrives on fastballs
• Bullpen Battle: Mets’ bullpen ERA (3.71) ranks 8th in MLB; Pirates’ pen sits at 4.45

Head-to-Head & Betting Insights

• Mets have won 7 of last 10 meetings vs Pirates
• Over is 8–2 in last 10 Pirates games
• Mets are 20–9 when favored by -154 or more