Chicago White Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction – 7/18/2025

Struggling teams will face off on Friday night when the Chicago White Sox visit the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. These teams have two of the worst records in baseball this season. But one of them will have no choice but to win this game. Here, I try and determine which team that will be as I make my White Sox vs Pirates prediction for this series opener.

Our White Sox vs Pirates Pick

• Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline
• Confidence: ★★★★☆
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Game Snapshot

• Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago White Sox
• Date & Time: Friday, July 18, 2025, 6:40 p.m. ET
• Starting Pitchers: Bailey Falter (PIT) vs Jonathan Cannon (CHW)
• Stadium: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
• Broadcast: SportsNet PT and CHSN

Key Storylines

1. Pitching form: Bailey Falter has been solid with a 6-4 record and 3.79 ERA. The fact that he has more wins than Paul Skenes this season speaks to how random baseball can be. Jonathan Cannon has struggled for the White Sox this year. He is 3-7 with a 4.44 ERA.
2. Bullpen usage: Both of the bullpens in this game are in the middle third of the league in bullpen ERA. They will be rested and ready to go following the All-Star break.
3. Recent team streaks: Chicago lost three out of four to the Cleveland Guardians in their last series. The Pirates have lost four of their last five games. But they did beat the Minnesota Twins in their final game before the break.

Best Player Props

Betting Trends & H2H

• This is the first game of the regular season series between these teams.
• Chicago is 14-31 in night games this season. Pittsburgh is 22-33 in their night games.
• The Pirates are 26-21 at home this year. Chicago is 11-36 on the road.

White Sox vs Pirates Model Projection

Score Projection: Pirates 4 – White Sox 3

Win Probability: Pirates 56%, White Sox 44%

Final Thoughts

I don’t expect the offenses in this game to do too much. Even with a struggling Cannon on the mound for Chicago, Pittsburgh is going to make this a tight game. Still, I expect the Pirates to win it behind the pitching of Falter and a lineup that should be able to do just enough at home against a horrible White Sox team.

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is a sports bettor, writer and broadcaster from New York. He is an avid New York Knicks fan and is no longer ashamed to admit it. He is also an avid New York Giants fan, and is very ashamed to admit it. His top sports to handicap are the NBA, WNBA and men’s tennis for some reason. He has watched more UAlbany Great Danes basketball than anyone should consume.