The Cincinnati Reds (19-26) travel to face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers (30-17) on Saturday, May 18th. This game will be played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and televised on SNLA. The Dodgers are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Reds are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Dodgers. First pitch is set for 9:10 ET.
Reds vs Dodgers
Los Angeles picked up a 7-3 win over the Reds in the most recent game of this series. The Dodgers had a huge 3rd inning, scoring six of their seven runs. As for the Reds, they scored their three runs in the 4th. Heading into the game, the Dodgers were favored at -194 on the money line.
James Paxton only went six innings for the Dodgers but gave up just two hits and two earned runs. He finished the game with two homers allowed and two strikeouts. Michael Grove came out of the bullpen for the win. As for the Reds, Frankie Montas got the start and took the loss, going just five innings and giving up three earned runs on four hits.
Shohei Ohtani hit the game’s first home run while going 1/4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Jason Heyward and Mookie Betts also each had two RBIs for the Dodgers’ offense.
Cincinnati is 19-26 overall and trail the Brewers by 7.5 games in the NL Central. Currently, they are in 5th place in the division and are 1-2 against other teams in the NL Central. The Reds are looking to bounce back, as they have dropped six straight series and are just 4-9-1 in series this year.
At home, the Reds are 9-13 this year and have gone 10-13 on the road. So far, they have been .500 both as the favorite and as the underdog. Cincinnati’s overall struggles have been seen in their recent play, as they are just 3-7 over their last ten games.
When betting on the run line, the Reds have been a better bet on the road than at home. Their overall run line record is 23-22, but they are 15-8 on the run line in road games. Their average run margin in all games is exactly even at 0.0 runs per game.
The Reds and Dodgers have gone over the total in two straight games, and their combined run average is 8.6 runs per game this season. The over/under record for Reds games this season is 22-21, and the average over/under line for their games is 8 runs. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, the Reds have gone over the total in 4 of 9 games this season. Overall, 42.2% of Reds games this season have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs or higher.
Graham Ashcraft Gets The Start For The Reds
Cincinnati is sending right-hander Graham Ashcraft to the mound today as he faces the Dodgers on the road. Ashcraft has made eight starts this year and has a record of 3-2 with an ERA of 4.12. So far, he has turned in three quality starts and is coming off an outing in which he gave up three earned runs in four innings of work. In that outing, he gave up two homers. Ashcraft has not given up more than three earned runs in any of his last four outings. Per nine innings, he is averaging 7.21 strikeouts and 3.09 walks.
Reds Offense Breakdown
Elly De La Cruz has been a bright spot for the Reds offense this season, batting .270 with a team-leading nine home runs. His 22 RBIs are also the 2nd most on the team. Spencer Steer has driven in the most runs for the Reds this season, but he is batting just .228 and has an OBP of .339. Will Benson has six homers this season but is batting just .192.
Stuart Fairchild and Tyler Stephenson have been swinging the bat well of late for the Reds. Fairchild is 4/10 in his last seven games with two homers, while Stephenson is also batting .400 over his last eight games. However, Benson has gone just 5/27 in his last eight games.
Los Angeles is 30-17 overall this season, and they lead the NL West by seven games over the Padres. The Dodgers are 10-7 against other teams in the NL West. So far, the Dodgers have been good at home, going 16-9, and they are 14-8 on the road.
The Dodgers have been really good in night games this year, going 21-8. As the favorite, the Dodgers have gone 29-15 and 15-9 when favored at home. Los Angeles has an overall series record of 10-6 this year.
So far, the Dodgers and Reds have split the first two games of this series. Los Angeles is 6-4 over their last 10 games overall.
Los Angeles has been a solid bet against the run line this season, going 25-22 overall. They are 12-13 vs. the run line at home, where they have an average run margin of 1.5 runs per game. As the favorite, the Dodgers are 24-20 vs. the run line, while as the underdog, they are just 1-2. In their wins, the Dodgers have an average run margin of 4.2 runs per game, while in their losses, they are being outscored by an average of 2.7 runs per game.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have seen the over hit in 15 of their 23 games with an over/under line of 8.5 runs this season. Their games have averaged 8.8 runs per game, and the over/under record for the season is 26-21. The over has hit in two straight games, and the over/under line for today’s game against the Cincinnati Reds is set at 8.5 runs.
Walker Buehler Gets The Start For The Dodgers
Walker Buehler will be making his third start of the season for the Dodgers, and it will be his first at home. In his most recent outing, he took the loss against the Padres, going just 3 1/3 innings and allowing 3 runs. Buehler has given up 2 home runs in each of his first two starts.
Dodgers Offense Breakdown
Shohei Ohtani has been a huge addition to the Dodgers lineup this season, as he is batting .358 with 13 homers and 32 RBIs. Ohtani is also on a nice stretch at the plate, going 10/31 in his last eight games. Mookie Betts has also been swinging a good bat of late, going 11/36 in his last nine games.
As a team, the Dodgers are 2nd in the league in scoring at 5.2 runs per game. They are the top on-base percentage team in the league and also have the best OPS in the league. Not only are the Dodgers the top home run hitting team in the league, but they are also the top home run hitting team in the league.
Reds vs Dodgers Prediction
Our predictions for this Reds vs. Dodgers matchup is to take the over at 8.5 runs. We see the Dodgers coming out on top with a final score of 6-5. However, with the Dodgers being at -220 on the money line, we see more value in taking the over.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Walker Buehler finishing with six strikeouts compared to Graham Ashcraft with four. Buehler is projected to go 6.1 innings, while Ashcraft is projected to go 5.2 innings.
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:May 18, 2024 Dodgers, Reds