MLB Prop Bets: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Kansas City Royals (September 20, 2026)
The Kansas City Royals (67-88) face the Pittsburgh Pirates (78-77) at PNC Park on Sunday at 1:35pm (ET). Let's take a look at the MLB Prop Bets for the matchup. Michael Wacha is the probable pitcher for the Royals, while Lake Bachar is the probable pitcher for the Pirates. The Royals are favored to win at -118, while the Pirates are at -102. The total runs line is set at 8.5, with OVER at -105 and UNDER at -115.
- The Royals (+144) have a 77-78 Run Line record this season, while the Pirates (-175) hold a record of 72-83.
- The Royals have a 68-81-6 O/U record this season (meaning 68 games have gone over the total runs line, 81 have gone under and six have resulted in a push). The Pirates have an 80-68-7 O/U record.
Scoring Insights
- The Royals are averaging 4.2 runs per game this season (24th in the league). Comparatively, the Pirates are averaging +0.6 more at 4.8 runs (5th).
- In the field, the Royals are allowing a whopping 4.9 runs per game this season (25th in the league), while the Pirates are allowing an average of 4.6 runs (20th).
Let's take a look at how these teams perform in some other key statistical areas.
Batting Insights:
Batting Average
- Looking at their batting averages this season, the Royals are at .245 (ranking 13th in the Major leagues), while the Pirates are batting .254 (5th).
Home Runs
- In terms of total home runs this season, the Pirates have hit 179 (T12th in the Major Leagues). Meanwhile, the Royals have managed 161 (22nd).
Runs Batted In
- Finally, looking at their runs batted in, the Pirates have been outstanding this season, recording 711 RBIs to rank 5th in the MLB. Comparatively, the Royals have performed poorly in this area, recording only 621 RBIs to rank T25th.
Pitching Insights:
Earned Run Average
- The Pirates have an earned run average of 4.20 this season (19th in the Majors), while The Royals have an ERA of 4.66 (27th).
Strikeouts
- Turning our attention to total strikeouts, the Pirates have recorded an impressive 1421 this season, ranking 5th in the MLB. Contrastingly, the Royals rank 28th for total strikeouts, recording only 1121.
Opponent Batting Average
- Opponents are batting an average of .238 against the Pirates this season (11th in the Major Leagues). Comparatively, the Royals' opponents are at .259 (28th).
First Innings Moneyline
- Here are their first innings moneyline records in 2026.
| Total | Home | Road | Favorite | Underdog | Neutral | Last 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royals | 35-37-83 | 19-19-37 | 16-18-46 | 10-14-29 | 25-23-54 | 0-0-0 | 2-1-7 |
| Pirates | 41-28-86 | 23-14-40 | 18-14-46 | 25-11-42 | 16-17-44 | 0-0-0 | 2-2-6 |
Lead After Three Innings
- Here are their records after the first three innings in 2026.
| Total | Home | Road | Favorite | Underdog | Neutral | Last 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royals | 49-69-37 | 29-30-16 | 20-39-21 | 15-25-13 | 34-44-24 | 0-0-0 | 3-4-3 |
| Pirates | 61-54-40 | 38-20-19 | 23-34-21 | 37-22-19 | 24-32-21 | 0-0-0 | 3-5-2 |
NRFI/YRFI
The NRFI market is paying -125 and the YRFI is paying -105.
- The NRFI is 77-78 in Royals games this season. The Pirates have an 82-73 NRFI record.
Last Time They Met
The Pirates recorded a 6-5 victory over the Royals at PNC Park yesterday. Brandon Lowe was unstoppable in that matchup, hitting a home run, a single and recording 2 RBIs. The Pirates have now won three straight at PNC Park against the Royals.
