Pirates vs. Dodgers Wednesday MLB probable pitchers, odds: Pittsburgh can complete season's most unlikely sweep

The Los Angeles Dodgers are favored to win the 2022 World Series (+450) and have the best run differential in the majors by far at +116. The Pittsburgh Pirates may not win 70 games this year and have the worst run differential in the majors at -81. Yet the Pirates could complete one of the most unlikely regular-season series sweeps in years at Dodger Stadium tonight. They are +220 underdogs at Caesars Sportsbook, but those are the shortest odds Pittsburgh has faced in the series. (See tickets at StubHub)

Quick aside: What is it with facing the two teams from Pennsylvania for L.A.? The Dodgers enter tonight's game with a 34-16 record and exactly half of those losses are against teams from the Keystone State. The Pirates are 4-1 vs. Los Angeles and the Phillies are 4-3.

In Monday's series opener, the Dodgers were -330 favorites behind ace Walker Buehler but lost 6-5 (Pirates were +290) as Pittsburgh rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth off of closer Craig Kimbrel. On Tuesday, the Dodgers were -340 behind Julio Urias but lost 5-3 (Pirates were +300). Pittsburgh's Michael Chavis and Tucupita Marcano each hit two-run homers and the team had 11 hits to clinch its first series win at Dodger Stadium since 2016.

A bettor at MGM's Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Miss., wagered $150,000 on the Dodgers to cover a 2.5-run spread against the Pirates on Tuesday at -115 and obviously lost. The bet would have won $130,434.80.

For a point of comparison, the Dodgers didn't lose back-to-back games as at least -300 home favorites once last season. The last time they did was July 25-26 in 2020 vs. the Giants.

In the five games vs. the Dodgers this year, the Pirates are hitting .276 with 22 runs scored, eight doubles, three triples and nine home runs. Pittsburgh hasn't swept any team since Aug. 21-23, 2020.

"We've playing really well," Manger Derek Shelton said. "We're playing against the best team in the Na­tional League, and we've been really fundamentally sound. We've done a lot of things. We've got some timely hit­ting, and we've scored early, which is really important."

Pittsburgh starts its best pitcher tonight in veteran lefty Jose Quintana (1-2, 2.15 ERA). He has allowed more than two earned runs just once all season and not since April 17. In May, he had a 1.33 ERA in 27.0 innings, including six shutout innings at home vs. the Dodgers in a win May 9. It's more than likely that Quintana will eventually be traded to a contender as the rebuilding Pirates have no reason to keep him.

Los Angeles starts its worst pitcher in Mitch White (2-1, 4.60). He's only in the rotation due to injuries elsewhere. Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger sat out his second straight game Tuesday because of left leg tightness. He's likely to be back in the lineup tonight. Shortstop Trea Turner carries a 23-game hitting streak into tonight, the longest such streak in the majors this season. He's 3-for-7 for his career against Quintana. 

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