Red Sox vs. Pirates: Game 2 prediction, lineup, odds, injuries, and picks

Yet another Paul Skenes masterclass helped the Pittsburgh Pirates prevail over the Boston Red Sox in the series opener. It was the Pirates' 60th win of the season, but with 76 losses, they remain last in the NL Central standings.

The Red Sox dropped behind the New York Yankees in the AL East standings after Friday's loss. The Red Sox have lost four straight home games. They currently have a 75-61 record and are in the AL Wild Card positions.

Red Sox vs. Pirates Game 2: Betting Odds and Weather

Time: 4:10 p.m. EDT at Fenway Park

Money Line: Red Sox -179, Pirates +149

Total Runs: Over/Under is 9.0 runs

Weather: Mostly Sunny, 73 degrees F, 1% precipitation, Wind 7 mph L-R

Red Sox vs. Pirates Game 2: Injuries and Lineups

Injuries

Red Sox

Richard Fitts: 15-Day IL (biceps),
Wilyer Abreu: 10-Day IL (calf),
Luis Guerrero: 60-Day IL (elbow),
Tanner Houck: 60-Day IL (flexor),
Hunter Dobbins: 60-Day IL (ACL),
Marcelo Mayer: 10-Day IL (wrist),
Liam Hendriks: 60-Day IL (hip),
Josh Winckowski: 60-Day IL (elbow),
Triston Casas: 60-Day IL (knee),
Kutter Crawford: 60-Day IL (knee),
Patrick Sandoval: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Pirates

Jack Suwinski: 10-Day IL (groin),
Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow),
Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder),
Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow),
Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder),
Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Expected Lineups

Red Sox

RF R. Anthony L
3B Alex Bregman R
LF Jarren Duran L
SS Trevor Story R
DH M. Yoshida L
1B R. Gonzalez R
CF C. Rafaela R
2B D. Hamilton L
C C. Narvaez R

Pirates

SS Jared Triolo R
2B N. Gonzales R
RF B. Reynolds S
LF Tommy Pham R
DH A. McCutchen R
C Joey Bart R
CF A. Canario R
1B L. Peguero R
3B I. Kiner-Falefa R

Red Sox vs. Pirates Game 2: Expert Picks and Prediction

Pirates' Johan Oviedo (1-0, 3.60 ERA) battles Red Sox' Dustin May (7-10, 4.79 ERA) as the two starting pitchers for Saturday's game. Oviedo will make his fourth start of the season. He has earned one run each in his last two starts. In four starts after being acquired by the Red Sox, May is carrying a 1-3, 4.50 ERA record.

The Pirates' pitching will be tested again. They have a collective 2.55 ERA in the last ten games and have also won 40 of their 63 games when they avoided a home run. They will have to contain Roman Anthony, who has seven RBIs and four home runs in the last ten games.

In the same stretch, Jared Triolo is 14 for 33, hitting six extra base hits for the Pirates. The Red Sox, however, have a better collective figure of 2.37 ERA in the last ten stretch.

Prediction: Red Sox 5, Pirates 4

Picks: Red Sox ML (-179), Under 9.0 runs

About the author

Nikhil Parshy is a baseball and ice hockey journalist at Sportskeeda, and after starting out as a cricket reporter, he has been an analyst with SK since November 2022. His interest in the sports were piqued a few years back after watching highlights on YouTube and he has followed the game ever since.

The Chicago Cubs breaking the 108-year curse in 2016 to lift the World Series remains Nikhil's favorite baseball moment. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been his favorite player ever since he started following the game, while the LA Dodgers are his favorite team.

As a writer, Nikhil maintains a strong attention to detail and rigorously cross-checks information. He seeks to strike a balance in his writing such that the regular reader gains an insight into player profiles, while also keeping in mind that the non-regular reader is not put off by jargon and shallow analysis.

Nikhil is an avid public speaker, and when not writing about baseball, he regularly participates in debates and quizzes.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25

Red Sox vs. Pirates: Game 2 prediction, lineup, odds, injuries, and picks - August 30, 2025

Red Sox vs. Pirates Game 2: Betting Odds and Weather

Red Sox vs. Pirates Game 2: Injuries and Lineups

Injuries

Red Sox

Pirates

Expected Lineups

Red Sox

Pirates

Red Sox vs. Pirates Game 2: Expert Picks and Prediction