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Cole vs. Keller: Pitching Showdown Underway
22 Jul
Summary
- Model predicts under 9.5 total runs, citing trends.
- Gerrit Cole's strong ERA and record with Yankees.
- Mitch Keller performs better in day games than night games.
The New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates are set to play a day/night doubleheader on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, after Tuesday's game was postponed due to rain. The Yankees, currently second in the AL East with a 56-44 record, won Monday's opener 8-5. The Pirates, fourth in the NL Central at 52-49, are vying for a Wild Card spot.
Gerrit Cole (3-5, 3.93 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Mitch Keller (6-7, 5.14 ERA) for the Pirates in the first game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have won four of the last five meetings between the two teams.
SportsLine's projection model, which has a strong record on top-rated MLB picks, forecasts an under of 9.5 total runs for the first game. This prediction is based on Pittsburgh's recent history of games going under in the second game of a series and Cole's consistent sub-4.00 ERA, which has seen the Yankees go 8-2 when he pitches.
Further supporting the under, Cole has a history of dominating current Pirates batters, holding them to a combined .185 batting average. Additionally, Keller has shown a significant performance difference between day games (3.60 ERA) and night games (6.58 ERA), performing better in the earlier contest. The model projects 9.3 combined runs.
