The Pirates and Twins play the first game of their three-game series on Friday, May 29.

Pittsburgh is a -143 moneyline favorite, while Minnesota is +119 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under eight runs.

Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Pirates vs. Twins game.

Pirates vs. Twins prediction, preview

The Twins continue their 10-game road trip with one final series before heading home. The first third went superbly with Minnesota sweeping the Red Sox, but it then lost three of four to the White Sox. This upcoming series vs. Pittsburgh will define the road trip.

Taj Bradley gets the start for the first game in what has been a career season. The 25-year-old has a 2.77 ERA—significantly better than his 5.59, 4.11, and 5.05 ERAs across his first three seasons. His FIP is slightly elevated at 3.26, so there’s room for regression, but it’s not a concerning gap. Bradley has pitched nine times this year, allowing more than two earned runs just once: a six-run start against the Rays, his former team.

He hasn’t faced the Pirates this year, but Pittsburgh has an unusually strong offense. It’s averaging the fifth most runs per game, trailing only the Nationals, Dodgers, Braves, and Yankees.

The Pirates won’t have Paul Skenes starting this series, but they will be getting Jared Jones off the 60-Day Injured List. He hasn’t pitched since the 2024 season, which was his rookie year in the majors. He held a 4.14 ERA across 22 starts and 121.2 innings. With so much time since his last appearance, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a short outing from the 24-year-old.

This could mean a heavy dose of Pittsburgh’s bullpen, which isn’t the best news for the Pirates. The bullpen ranks 18th with a 4.13 collective ERA this season. Additionally, the Twins average the 11th most runs per game in the majors.

Pirates vs. Twins Pick, Best Bet

Despite home-field advantage, I’m not overly confident in the Pirates. Jones is making his first appearance since 2024, and the team’s bullpen is slightly below average. It’ll require a strong offensive showing for Pittsburgh to win, but that doesn’t seem likely against Bradley.

Best Bet: Minnesota Twins ML (+119)