The Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet at Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon to conclude their three-game series, with the Dodgers looking to complete a dominant sweep and the Pirates desperately seeking a win to halt a downward slide. The Dodgers, boasting a 16–9 record, have been particularly formidable at home, winning eight of their last ten games at Dodger Stadium while playing some of their most complete baseball of the season, mixing powerful offense, dependable starting pitching, and airtight defense. Leading the charge offensively has been Shohei Ohtani, who continues to deliver as both a presence at the plate and a galvanizing force in the lineup, batting .271 with a .521 slugging percentage, while Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have consistently provided additional support with their disciplined approaches and ability to drive in key runs. Tyler Glasnow will take the mound for Los Angeles, bringing a 2–1 record and a crisp 3.00 ERA into the matchup, having showcased dominant swing-and-miss stuff and the ability to set the tone early, critical for a Dodgers team that thrives when playing from ahead. Meanwhile, the Pirates enter with a 10–15 record, struggling for consistency as they seek to find their footing in the highly competitive NL Central, with offensive production and defensive execution both falling short of preseason expectations. Bailey Falter is slated to start for Pittsburgh, carrying a 1–2 record and a 4.50 ERA, and he will need to navigate a lethal Dodgers lineup that has punished mistakes and thrived on extra-base hits. Offensively, the Pirates lean on Oneil Cruz, who is hitting .256 with a powerful .535 slugging percentage, and Bryan Reynolds, who brings both stability and occasional pop with a .252 average, but beyond those two, run production has been sparse, especially against top-tier pitching.

Defensively, Pittsburgh has been serviceable but inconsistent, with occasional errors compounding offensive struggles and leading to prolonged innings that their pitching staff can ill afford. Recent betting trends favor the Dodgers heavily, having hit the moneyline in eight of their last ten home games, while Pittsburgh games have often trended under the total in road contests, reflecting their difficulty scoring runs away from PNC Park. Head-to-head history between these teams has occasionally seen the underdog Pirates cover the run line, doing so in four of the last five meetings, but the current momentum squarely favors Los Angeles. For the Pirates to have a shot at avoiding the sweep, Falter will need to be nearly perfect, and the offense must capitalize on whatever few opportunities they get against a deep and talented Dodgers pitching staff. Meanwhile, for the Dodgers, continuing their formula of early offense, aggressive baserunning, and dominant bullpen work should allow them to comfortably secure another series win and keep the pressure on their NL West rivals. With both teams trending in opposite directions, Sunday’s matchup promises to either be a statement sweep for the Dodgers or a much-needed lifeline for a Pirates squad seeking to reset its season trajectory.