Pirates vs Royals Prediction, Odds, Moneyline, Spread & Over/Under for Sept. 18

Odds updated as of 1:12 a.m.

On Friday in MLB, the Pittsburgh Pirates are playing the Kansas City Royals.

We've got you covered, in terms of the most important info about this game before you take a look at the MLB odds and spreads on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Pirates vs Royals Game Info

• Pittsburgh Pirates (76-77) vs. Kansas City Royals (67-86)
• Date: Friday, September 18, 2026
• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Venue: PNC Park -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Coverage: SportsNet PT and Royals.TV

Pirates vs Royals Odds & Moneyline

• All MLB odds, betting lines and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: PIT: (-184) | KC: (+154)
• Spread: PIT: -1.5 (+118) | KC: +1.5 (-142)
• Total: 8.5 -- Over: (+112) | Under: (-138)

Pirates vs Royals Probable Starting Pitchers

Probable Pitchers: Paul Skenes (Pirates) - 10-11, 3.78 ERA vs Randy Dobnak (Royals) - 3-4, 2.73 ERA

This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Pirates will send Paul Skenes (10-11) to the mound, while Randy Dobnak (3-4) will answer the bell for the Royals. Skenes and his team have a record of 10-20-0 against the spread when he starts. Skenes' team has been victorious in 45.8% of the games he's started as the moneyline favorite with a record of 11-13. When Dobnak starts, the Royals are 7-4-0 against the spread. The Royals have been the underdog on the moneyline in nine of Dobnak's starts this season, and they went 4-5 in those games.

Pirates vs Royals Prediction & Pick

All MLB win probability predictions and picks are according to numberFire.
Prediction: Pirates win (68%)

Pirates vs Royals Moneyline

• Pittsburgh is a -184 favorite on the moneyline, while Kansas City is a +154 underdog on the road.

Pirates vs Royals Spread

• The Pirates are hosting the Royals and are favored by 1.5 runs (+118 to cover) on the runline. Kansas City is -142 to cover.

Pirates vs Royals Over/Under

• The Pirates-Royals game on Sept. 18 has been given an over/under of 8.5 runs. The over is set at +112 and the under at -138.

Bet on Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Kansas City Royals on FanDuel today!

Pirates vs Royals Betting Trends

• The Pirates have been chosen as favorites in 76 games this year and have walked away with the win 43 times (56.6%) in those games.
• This year Pittsburgh has won three of nine games when listed as at least -184 on the moneyline.
• The Pirates' games have gone over the total in 79 of their 151 opportunities.
• The Pirates are 74-77-0 against the spread in their 151 games with a line set by sportsbooks this season.
• The Royals have won 40% of the games this season they were the moneyline underdog (38-57).
• Kansas City has a 5-9 record (winning only 35.7% of its games) when it has played as a moneyline underdog of +154 or longer.
• The Royals have had an over/under set by oddsmakers 146 times, and have combined with opponents to go over the total in 65 of those games (65-78-3).
• The Royals are 75-71-0 ATS this season.

Pirates Player Leaders

• Bryan Reynolds is batting .262 with 37 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs and 84 walks. He has an on-base percentage of .366 while slugging .424.
• Among all qualifying hitters in the majors, his batting average ranks 59th, his on-base percentage ranks 21st, and he is 68th in slugging.
• Brandon Lowe leads Pittsburgh in total hits (144) this season while batting .261 with 61 extra-base hits. He's slugging .486 with an on-base percentage of .332.
• He ranks 63rd in batting average, 66th in on-base percentage and 19th in slugging among qualifying hitters.
• Lowe heads into this matchup looking to extend his five-game hit streak. In his last five games he is batting .375 with a double, two home runs, three walks and six RBIs.
• Nick Gonzales leads the Pirates with an OPS of .759. He has a slash line of .304/.367/.392 this season.
• Ryan O'Hearn has been key for Pittsburgh with 101 hits, an OBP of .332 plus a slugging percentage of .452.
• O'Hearn enters this game on a two-game hitting streak. During his last five outings he is batting .235 with a home run, a walk and three RBIs.

Royals Player Leaders

• Bobby Witt Jr. has a .359 on-base percentage and a .441 slugging percentage, both team-best numbers for the Royals. He's batting .276.
• Including all qualifying hitters, he ranks 32nd in batting average, while his on-base percentage is 32nd and he is 56th in slugging.
• Carter Jensen is batting .235 with 33 doubles, two triples, 24 home runs and 64 walks. He's slugging .454 with an on-base percentage of .322.
• Including all qualified hitters, he is 107th in batting average, 84th in on-base percentage and 42nd in slugging percentage.
• Jac Caglianone has 134 hits, a team-best for the Royals.
• Salvador Perez has 23 doubles, a triple, 19 home runs and 23 walks while hitting .227.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!