The Pittsburgh Pirates enter their July 25, 2025 home game at PNC Park with a 42–61 record, entrenched in a developmental season where results have been mixed but opportunities for individual growth have been plentiful. After splitting their last 10 games at 5–5, the Pirates are looking to build on some competitive recent outings despite lacking the consistency or depth to string together meaningful momentum. Their young core continues to gain experience under the guidance of veteran contributors, but the team remains near the bottom of the NL Central with few expectations beyond evaluating talent and finding rhythm in key roles. Mike Burrows is expected to start and will be tasked with containing an Arizona Diamondbacks lineup that already won two of three from Pittsburgh earlier this year. Burrows has struggled to stay efficient through five innings, carrying a 4.70 ERA and often requiring early bullpen help, which exposes Pittsburgh’s biggest issue—bullpen depth. Though they possess reliable late-inning arms like David Bednar and Aroldis Chapman, too many games are turned over to the middle relief corps in disadvantageous situations, leading to blown leads or extended deficits. Offensively, the Pirates showcase a mix of promising young talent and seasoned veterans, with Oneil Cruz offering left-handed pop and energy at shortstop, Bryan Reynolds providing balanced production in the outfield, and Andrew McCutchen anchoring the clubhouse while still delivering at the plate.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa leads the team in batting average and has emerged as one of the few consistent table-setters, but the overall offense remains below league average in most categories, often relying on short bursts rather than sustained pressure. Rookie catcher Henry Davis has shown flashes of his first-round potential but still lacks the game-to-game consistency to anchor the bottom of the order. Pittsburgh’s defense has been a mixed bag, with decent individual performances overshadowed by occasional lapses that extend innings or create unearned run opportunities. As a team, they’ve struggled in one-run games, and while they occasionally play tight contests at home, their lack of late-inning execution has prevented many of those close games from turning into wins. Against Arizona, their margin for error will be slim—they’ll need early offense, sharp defense, and at least five clean innings from Burrows to keep pressure off their bullpen. From a betting standpoint, the Pirates continue to be unreliable ATS, particularly when facing stronger pitching staffs that can stifle their inconsistent offense. They are clear underdogs in this matchup and would need nearly everything to break their way—timely hitting, defensive gems, bullpen sharpness—to take control late. Their best chance may lie in disrupting Arizona’s rhythm early and hoping that a home crowd energy boost can help them build a cushion. Still, based on recent matchups and talent depth, the Pirates face a steep climb to cover or win outright unless they deliver one of their cleanest performances of the month.