Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies Picks and Predictions May 17th 2026

Paul Skenes vs. Zack Wheeler headlines Pirates-Phillies finale

The Philadelphia Phillies have been riding high with a prolific offense, winning 14 of 18 games since making a managerial change.

That offense will be put to the test on Sunday afternoon, however, as the Phillies face reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (6-2, 1.98 ERA) in the finale of their three-game series against the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

Philadelphia will send fellow right-hander Zack Wheeler (2-0, 2.55) to the mound.

The Phillies are at .500 for the first time since April 13 after posting 11-9 and 6-0 wins in the first two games of this series. Kyle Schwarber hit a pair of homers to continue his power surge in Friday’s victory, and Bryce Harper added a mammoth three-run shot on Saturday.

“Managing is really easy when you have really good players and they play well,” Philadelphia bench coach Dusty Wathan said.

Wathan was filling in Saturday for interim manager Don Mattingly, who was away from the team while attending a son’s graduation from Purdue.

Harper is 5-for-8 with a homer, five RBIs and two runs in this series for the Phillies, who have 91 runs over their past 18 games.

“That’s the team we are,” Harper said after Saturday’s game. “Basically, we didn’t have a great month of April. So we try to put that behind us as quickly as possible. (It’s about winning) series and months. Hopefully, we’ll be where we want to be in the end.”

Skenes enters Sunday’s contest after allowing just two hits over eight scoreless innings in each of his last two starts, wins against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.

While crediting catcher Henry Davis for his success, the fireballing right-hander provided a self-deprecating remark during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

“I don’t shake (off) a ton. I’m too stupid to call my own pitches, so I let him do it,” Skenes said of Davis, who has been behind the plate for all nine of Skenes’ starts this season. “He’s got my career in his hands every fifth day.”

Skenes, 23, is 0-1 with an 0.57 ERA in two career appearances (both starts) against Philadelphia. He has allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits vs. the Phillies and has struck out 16 batters in 15 2/3 innings.

Skenes took a hard-luck loss on May 18, 2025, when the Pirates lost 1-0. He pitched a complete game and gave up just one run on three hits.

Wheeler, 35, picked up his second win of the season on Tuesday after permitting one run on six hits in 7 1/3 innings in a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The Phillies have won all four of his 2026 starts.

A three-time All-Star, Wheeler is 5-1 with a 2.38 ERA in nine career appearances (all starts) against Pittsburgh.

The Pirates will look to solve Wheeler in a bid to avoid being swept in a series for the second time this season. They were brushed aside in a four-game set by the St. Louis Cardinals from April 27-30.

Pittsburgh rookie Konnor Griffin is riding a four-game hitting streak after joining Nick Gonzales and Bryan Reynolds with two-hit performances on Saturday.

–Field Level Media