Approaching swiftly is the climax of a three-game showdown featuring the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Will the Yankees secure another victory on the road, or can the Pirates defend their home turf?

The Yankees are continuing a hot streak that they have stumbled into, as they try not to be in last place in the AL East. They recently had quality wins against the Boston Red Sox and now that momentum is strong here.

Recently, their performance at the plate has shown improvement, but their batting average remains at a steady .226, along with a slugging percentage of .398, both of which fall well below league averages. Notably, in this series, they have raised their level of play even higher.

On the pitching side, there is not a significant disparity, with opponents hitting .234 against them. Their ERA of 3.98 notably outperforms the Pirates.

They struggle to get runners on base with a below-average .303 on-base percentage. However, it is worth noting that their recent performances have seen an impressive uptick in their ability to consistently put runners on base.

The Pirates had won some shootouts against the Washington Nationals prior to this series. This gave them some positive momentum to offer a competitive series here.

The Pirates have maintained a consistent batting average of .237 and a slugging percentage of .389, both of which fall below the league's standards. Initially, this might appear sufficient to compete with the Yankees.

However, they permit their opponents to bat .251 against them, a glaring issue that jeopardizes their chances of victory. Their primary challenge lies in their elevated ERA of 4.50.

Moreover, their OBP slightly surpasses that of the Yankees at .313, suggesting more scoring chances. Yet, without a dominant pitching force, this game could easily become another lopsided contest.

Game Odds, Series Trends and Free Pick

MyBookie's odds show that the New York Yankees are slightly likely to win this game. Looking at the market analysis, it is predicting a 54.6 percent chance of victory.

The Pirates are likely able to get away with a bad day on the mound because their play at the plate will likely allow them to stay within reach or take a lead. The Yankees have been strong consistently at the plate in recent performances, but they will likely not have the same amount of opportunities to score as the Pirates will.

This could be another close battle. Look for the Pirates to finish strong in the series.