Los Angeles Dodgers vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction – 9/2/2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers will head to PNC Park on Tuesday to open a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers enter the contest as one of the top teams in the National League but they are in the middle of a wild division title race in the NL West. Los Angeles will look for another important win on the road to help their division title hopes against the struggling Pirates. Before this game gets going, continue reading for my Dodgers vs Pirates prediction.
Our Dodgers vs Pirates Pick
- Pick: Over 8.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Date & Time: Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 6:40 PM
- Starting Pitchers: Clayton Kershaw (LAD) vs Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT)
- Stadium: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- Broadcast: MLB.tv
Key Storylines
Pitching Matchup
The Dodgers will go with Clayton Kershaw to start this matchup on the mound. Kershaw has turned back the clock this year. He is 9-2 and has an impressive 3.06 ERA. Los Angeles will hope he continues his solid run in this key contest. Carmen Mlodzinski has struggled with command and has been prone to giving up big innings. He is facing one of baseball’s deepest lineups and that could be a tall order for him.
Key Players
- Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani has 45 home runs this season to lead the Dodgers. Any discussion on how to slow down LA starts with trying to slow Ohtani down.
- Pirates: The Dodgers don’t have any hitters with 20 or more home runs yet this year. But Oneil Cruz is their most dangerous bat and LA will have to find ways to quiet his bat.
Recent Team Streaks
- The Dodgers lost two out of three games to the Arizona Diamondbacks in their last series.
- The Pirates won two out of three games against the Boston Red Sox in their last series.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Mookie Betts | Over 0.5 Home Runs |
| Clayton Kershaw | Under 6.5 Strikeouts |
| Bryan Reynolds | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Dodgers have won two of the three games between these teams so far this season.
- Two of the three previous meetings between the Dodgers and Pirates went over their totals.
- Los Angeles averaged 8.5 runs per game over the final two games of that original series between these teams after being shut out in the first game.
Dodgers vs Pirates Model Projection
Score Projection: Dodgers 6 – Pirates 3
Win Probability: Dodgers 68%, Pirates 32%
Final Thoughts
The Dodgers shouldn’t have a problem winning this game on the road to keep the pressure on the Padres in the NL West chase. But I think the better bet for this game is to take the over. Mlodzinski is going to have his hands full against the lineup of the Dodgers and I’m not convinced that Kershaw won’t have his share of struggles as well. I’ll bet that this is a high-scoring game from PNC Park.
