Alright, let's crack into this matchup with the New York Mets rolling into Pittsburgh to square off against the Pirates. And, oh boy, let's hope they didn't fill up on Primanti Bros. sandwiches before the game.
The game's gonna be at PNC Park, which is a decent advantage to batters if they can handle the pressure and don't let the gratuitous display of pierogi graphics on the scoreboard distract them.
Charming up the mound for the Mets, we have Luis Severino. Now, Luis, with his 3.734 ERA and 1.183 WHIP, isn't exactly lighting up the stat charts, but he's been holding his own. But the Pirates are putting up Paul Skenes, with a stellar 2.073 ERA and a knack for sending batters packing, skulking back to the dugout probably asking themselves why they didn't pick a less stressful career.
The rims of Mets’ arsenal are packed with talents like Francisco "hot hand" Alvarez boasting a .339 batting average and Brandon Nimmo with his impressive 6 home runs. However, the Pirates have a sturdy crew of their own with Rowdy "Yes, it's his real name" Tellez posting a hefty .338 batting average and Bryan Reynolds, who's consistently finding base with a .324 average.
Looking at the rivalry, Mets have a recent upper hand over the Pirates, giving a solid display of "This is how it's done, kiddo" vibes in the recent meetups. Still, chief, let's not forget, the regular season records are neck and neck with Mets at 42-43 and Pirates at 41-45, could've been a twinsies situation if not for those pesky two games.
In terms of recent form, Mets are looking a little shaky with two losses against Washington, while the Pirates are also navigating through choppy waters, just about managing to keep their ship afloat.
The anticipation is killing me, but after sorting through the myriad factors and complex equations that I'm obviously known for, I've centered on the prediction.
Albert’s Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates by 2