The Pittsburgh Pirates travel to Milwaukee for a National League Central clash on Friday night, with both clubs in the bottom two in a tightly packed division. Pittsburgh enters with a 14-11 record, while Milwaukee sits just behind at 13-11. This early-season meeting features a high-end pitching duel between Paul Skenes and Brandon Woodruff, two arms capable of controlling a game from the first pitch. Before the first pitch from Milwaukee, continue reading to get my Pirates vs Brewers prediction on the diamond.
Pirates vs Brewers Pick
Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates -135
Confidence: 3 out of 5
Game Snapshot
Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Milwaukee Brewers
Date & Time: Friday, April 24, 2026, 7:40 PM ET
Starting Pitchers: Paul Skenes vs Brandon Woodruff
Stadium: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Broadcast: MLB.tv
Key Storylines
Both of these teams have struggled of late, dropping three of their last five games. But they are both still inside of three games back of first place in the NL Central and will try to move closer with a win here.
The pitching matchup for this game is simply incredible. Paul Skenes and Brandon Woodruff are both Cy Young-caliber pitchers in the National League and it will take a great performance from either of these pitchers to get a win in this contest.
The Pirates' offense has shown more power with 28 home runs compared to Milwaukee’s 19
The Brewers are dealing with key injuries, including Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio
Pitching Matchup
Paul Skenes carries a 3-1 record with a 3.27 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 22 innings.
Skenes has allowed just 13 hits and struck out 23 hitters, limiting damage effectively.
Brandon Woodruff is 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA and 0.93 WHIP over 23.2 innings.
Woodruff has issued only 4 walks, showing strong command early in the season.
Key Players
Oneil Cruz leads Pittsburgh with 8 home runs and 23 RBI going into this series opener.
Ryan O’Hearn has been one of the most consistent hitters for the Pirates, batting .325.
Brice Turang is pacing Milwaukee with 18 RBI so far this year.
William Contreras continues to provide steady offensive output with a .302 batting average.
Gary Sanchez has a team-high 5 home runs this season.
Betting Trends & H2H
This is the first matchup of the season between the Pirates and Brewers.
Milwaukee is 14-10 to the over heading into Friday night.
This game should be a pitcher’s duel, with both Skenes and Woodruff capable of working deep into the game while limiting base runners. The difference comes down to lineup depth and current form. Pittsburgh has shown slightly more consistency at the plate, with multiple hitters producing at a high level. Their ability to generate extra-base hits gives them a slight edge in a low-scoring contest. I'll take Skenes and the Pirates to win this game on the moneyline, in what could be the best game of the night in MLB.
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