Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates Preview: Sanchez vs. Skenes (June 8, 2025)

Sunday, June 8th, 2025

Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: 2025-06-08

Time: 12:35 PM MLB

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Game Preview

The Philadelphia Phillies (37-27, second in the NL East) are set to face the Pittsburgh Pirates (25-40, fifth in the NL Central) on Sunday, June 8th. The game is scheduled for a 1:35 p.m. EDT start time in Pittsburgh.

Pitching Matchup

Phillies: Cristopher Sanchez (5-1, 3.02 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 74 strikeouts)

Pirates: Paul Skenes (4-6, 2.05 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 85 strikeouts)

Odds and Betting Information

Pirates: -115

Phillies: -105

Over/Under: 7 runs

Team Status

The Philadelphia Phillies enter this matchup having lost four consecutive games. Philadelphia holds a 37-27 overall record and an 18-15 record in road games. The Phillies have been successful when scoring, boasting a 25-5 record in games where they put up at least five runs.

The Pittsburgh Pirates stand at 25-40 overall with a 16-18 record in home games. The Pirates have struggled in games where they allow home runs, holding a 7-27 record in such contests.

Season Series

This will be the sixth meeting between these two teams this season. The Phillies currently hold a 3-2 advantage in the season series against the Pirates.

Key Performers

For the Pirates, Oneil Cruz has been a notable contributor with nine doubles, a triple, and 12 home runs. Bryan Reynolds has been hot recently, going 14 for 37 with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs over the past 10 games.

On the Phillies side, Kyle Schwarber leads the team in home runs with 20, adding 43 walks and 46 RBI while hitting .255. Trea Turner has also performed well over his last 10 games, batting 12 for 43 with three doubles, two home runs, and seven RBI.

Recent Performance

Pirates Last 10 Games:

Record: 6-4

Batting Average: .246

ERA: 3.17

Run Differential: Outscored opponents by 10 runs

Phillies Last 10 Games:

Record: 2-8

Batting Average: .208

ERA: 6.15

Run Differential: Outscored by 28 runs

Injuries

Pirates Injuries:

Andrew Heaney: day-to-day (calf)

Endy Rodriguez: 10-Day IL (elbow)

Joey Bart: 7-Day IL (concussion)

Colin Holderman: 15-Day IL (thumb)

Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Dauri Moreta: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Phillies Injuries:

Bryce Harper: 10-Day IL (wrist)

Aaron Nola: 15-Day IL (ankle)

In summary

The Philadelphia Phillies (37-27) visit the Pittsburgh Pirates (25-40) on June 8, 2025. The Phillies, second in the NL East, are on a four-game losing streak, while the fifth-place NL Central Pirates hold a 16-18 home record. Cristopher Sanchez pitches for Philadelphia against Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes. Pittsburgh is the slight favorite with the over/under set at 7 runs. Philadelphia leads the season series 3-2. Key players include Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds for the Pirates, and Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner for the Phillies. Recent form favors the Pirates (6-4) compared to the struggling Phillies (2-8). Both teams have multiple players on the injured list, including notable names like Bryce Harper and Aaron Nola for the Phillies.

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