The Pittsburgh Pirates (72-82) travel to face off against the Cincinnati Reds (75-80) on Saturday, September 21st. This game will be played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and televised on SN PT. The Reds are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Pirates are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Reds. First pitch is set for 12:10 CT.
Pirates vs. Reds Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Reds (-122)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
- The Reds have scored an average of 5.6 runs per game in their last 5 home games.
- The Reds have won 4 out of their last 5 home games against the Pirates.
- The Reds have a higher home win percentage (48.1%) compared to the Pirates’ away win percentage (44.7%).
- The Reds have scored 8 or more runs in 3 of their last 5 home games.
- The Reds have won 3 out of their last 4 games against the Pirates this season.
Pirates vs Reds
Cincinnati cruised to an easy 8-3 win over the Pirates in the most recent game of this series. The Reds had a huge 3rd inning, scoring four of their eight runs. As for the Pirates, they scored their only three runs in the 4th. Heading into the game, the Reds were favored at -128 on the money line.
Pittsburgh got to Reds starter Nick Martinez, who gave up two earned runs in just six innings of work. As for the Pirates, Mitch Keller was tagged for eight runs in just 3 1/3 innings of work. He took the loss in the game.
Tyler Stephenson hit the game’s only home run while going 3/5 with five RBIs and three runs scored. Jonathan India also had a good game at the plate, going 2/4 with an RBI.
As underdogs, the Pirates have a 38-54 record straight up and a 58-34 record against the run line. Overall, Pittsburgh is 82-72 against the run line this season, with a -0.4 run differential per game. They are 34-28 as favorites and 24-38 against the run line, and are 38-40 at home and 34-42 on the road.
In the NL Central, the Pirates are in 5th place with a 72-82 record, 16 games behind the Brewers. They trail the Reds by 2.5 games and have lost two straight series. The over/under record for games with 8.5 run lines is 31-23, and the average run total for Pirates games this season is 8.7 runs.
Jared Jones Gets The Start For The Pirates
Jared Jones gets the start for the Pirates today as he faces off against the Reds on the road. He has made 20 starts this season and has a record of 6-7 with an ERA of 3.85. Looking at his overall numbers, Jones has a WHIP of 1.15 and opponents are batting .225 this season. In his last outing, Jones finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in four innings of work. Before that, he had gone seven innings and picked up the win, giving up two earned runs in the process. Jones has made 11 quality starts this year and is averaging 9.61 strikeouts per nine innings.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Pirates offense is averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 22nd in the MLB. They have been a bit better at home, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .236, which is 15th in the league, and have the 23rd ranked slugging percentage in the league. The Pirates have three players with at least 20 homers, with Bryan Reynolds leading the way with 22 homers and 85 RBIs.
Bryan De La Cruz, Andrew McCutchen, and Oneil Cruz are all tied for 2nd on the team with 20 homers. However, De La Cruz is hitting just .233 for the season, and McCutchen is batting .238. Oneil Cruz comes into the game on a four-game hitting streak, during which he has gone 3/10. Billy Cook has just one hit in his last five games, and Bryan De La Cruz has gone just 2/14 in his last four games.
Currently, the Reds are 4th in the NL Central, two games behind the Cardinals for the 3rd spot. They have a 75-80 overall record, trailing the Brewers by 13.5 games in the division. Cincinnati’s series record for the season is 19-27-3, and they are 5-5 in their last ten games.
Against the run line, the Reds are 84-71 overall and have a 47-29 record on the road. Their average run margin for the season is 0.1 runs per game, but they have been outscored by 0.4 runs per game at home. The over/under record for Reds games with an 8.5 run line is 19-16, and the over has hit in their last two games.
Rhett Lowder Gets The Start For The Reds
Rhett Lowder will be making his 4th start of the season for the Reds, and he will be taking on the Pirates at home. Lowder has a win and a loss on the year, and in his last start, he took the loss after giving up 3 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Twins.
Reds Offense Breakdown
Elly De La Cruz has been one of the Reds most consistent hitters this season, batting .260 with a team-high 24 home runs and 70 RBIs. He is also currently on a five-game hitting streak. Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario are also tied for 2nd on the team with 20 homers, but Steer is batting just .230, and Candelario is hitting .225.
As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 14th in the league. Their team batting average of .233 is 17th in the league, and they are also one of the league’s worst teams in terms of slugging percentage and OPS.
Pirates vs Reds Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Pirates vs. Reds matchup is to take the Reds on the money line at -122. We see the Reds coming away with a 5-4 win, giving us some wiggle room with the over/under line sitting at 8.5 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Rhett Lowder is projected to finish with five strikeouts, while Jared Jones is predicted to finish with four. The Reds lineup is also projected to have a better day at the plate, with the Reds finishing with the fourth-most hits in the league today.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:September 21, 2024 Pirates, Reds