The first pitch of the Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game is set for 4:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 16, with the Phillies entering as road favorites, returning a 1.56x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Today’s collision is Game 2 of a three-game series between these two teams. The Phillies came back last night to steal a thriller from the Pirates, 11-9, in extra innings. Will Pittsburgh find a way to even the scoreboard this afternoon?
Below, we'll break down our Phillies vs. Pirates prediction and picks for Saturday’s MLB game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Phillies vs. Pirates picks on PrizePicks now.
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Phillies vs. Pirates Prediction, Winner, Over/Under – Saturday, May 16
The Phillies began the season with a dreadful start but have since rebounded, posting seven wins in their last 10 games to bring their overall record to 22-23. They still sit nine games behind the Atlanta Braves for the lead in the NL East, but we’re only a quarter of the way into the season, so there is still plenty of opportunity for them to find their stride.
According to PrizePicks Team Picks, Philadelphia has the second-shortest payout to win the NL East (5.88x), behind Atlanta's 1.2x mark.
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The Pirates were many people’s preseason pick as a breakout team. They boast a young and talented pitching rotation headlined by All-World SP Paul Skenes. They also made quite a few offseason acquisitions to bolster their batting order by acquiring 2B Brandon Lowe, OF Ryan O’Hearn, and DH Marcell Ozuna.
Pittsburgh is tied for last in the NL Central, but the division is incredibly competitive, with all five teams sitting within five games of each other, so a lot is still to be decided for this young ballclub.
Phillies vs. Pirates Winner Payout, Over/Under – Saturday, May 16
The Phillies enter Saturday’s game as road favorites against the Pirates, returning a 1.56x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Phillies vs. Pirates game on PrizePicks.
- Spread: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5 (1.92x payout)
- Over/Under: 8.5 (1.85x payout on Over)
- Game Winner Payout: Phillies - 1.56x | Pirates - 2.32x
Play the Phillies vs. PIrates winnner or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money — available in 35 states!
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Phillies vs. Pirates Prediction on Spread – 5/16/26
Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Phillies vs. Pirates prediction on the run line for Saturday, May 16.
Lock in your Phillies vs. Pirates prediction on PrizePicks before the first pitch.
- For the season, the Pirates have a higher team wRC+ than the Phillies, but they are significantly less productive against southpaws. Against RHP, Pittsburgh has a 114 wRC+ compared to just 90 against LHP.
- The Phillies hold a massive advantage in the pen with a group that is ranked fifth with a 3.66 xFIP, compared to a Pirates bullpen with a 4.43 xFIP (20th).
- Philadelphia also has a significant advantage in starting pitching. They will send SP Cristopher Sanchez (2.46 xFIP) to the mound against the Pirates SP Bubba Chandler, who has an alarming 5.45 xFIP on the year.
- With the Phillies in the visiting role, they have the luxury of a guaranteed nine innings to hit the ball, which could be a key factor in covering the run line.
Phillies vs. Pirates Player Picks, Stats for PrizePicks – 5/16/26
Here are the top Phillies vs. Pirates picks to target on PrizePicks for Saturday, May 16. Today’s MLB picks for PrizePicks include Cristopher Sanchez and Bubba Chandler.
Phillies SP Cristopher Sanchez vs. Pirates: 1.5 Walks Allowed
- Sanchez has impeccable command and control with just a 2.28 BB/9 on the season.
- He had fewer than 1.5 walks in 5 of his 9 starts this season, with two of his 2-walk starts coming against the most formidable offense in baseball, the Chicago Cubs.
- Over his last 20 starts last season, Sanchez had more than 1.5 walks in just four appearances.
- The Pirates carry a 10.7% walk rate vs. RHP, but that number drops to 9.7% against LHP.
- Sanchez has been able to find the zone better on the road this season, with a 1.74 BB/9 away from Philadelphia compared to a 2.40 BB/9 at Citizens Bank Park.
Add Cristopher Sanchez to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
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Pirates SP Bubba Chandler vs. Phillies: 1.5 Walks Allowed
- This projection feels low for a pitcher who has consistently struggled to find the zone with a massive 6.23 BB/9.
- Chandler finished with more than this projection in 6 of his 8 starts this year (75%).
- The Phillies are only walking 7.6% of the time but have quite a few high walk-rate batters. We could see that number head for positive regression and potentially pass their 8.6% BB rate from last year.
- Chandler’s struggles with walks are nothing new, as he struggled in the minor leagues with 4.77 BB/9 over 100 innings in Triple-A play during the 2025 campaign.
Add Bubba Chandler to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
Make Phillies vs. Pirates Picks on PrizePicks
Something about all-day weekend baseball just hits different, and we’ve got some great games on tap today. Phillies vs. Pirates is just one of the games to get in on the action with PrizePicks.
Don’t wait until lock — make your Phillies vs. Pirates picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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