The Cincinnati Reds (47-51) travel to face off against the Washington Nationals (45-53) on Saturday, July 20th. This game will be played at Nationals Park in Washington and televised on MASN. The Nationals are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Reds are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Nationals. First pitch is set for 5:45 CT.
Reds vs. Nationals Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Reds (-108)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
- The Reds have scored 5 or more runs in 9 of their last 15 games.
- The Reds have won 6 of their last 9 road games.
- The Reds have a 5-5 record in their last 10 games, compared to the Nationals’ 4-6 record in their last 10 games.
- The Reds have outscored the Nationals 19-14 in their last three head-to-head matchups this season.
- The Nationals have a 24-29 home record, indicating a below .500 performance at home.
Reds vs Nationals
Thanks to a four-run 4th inning for the Nationals’ offense, they cruised to an easy 8-5 win over the Reds in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Nationals were at +114 on the money line.
The starting pitching matchup for this game featured Frankie Montas for the Reds, and he went just 4 2/3 innings while giving up seven runs and took the loss. Patrick Corbin put together a good outing for the Nationals, getting the win after going six innings and giving up one earned run.
Washington got a huge performance from Juan Yepez, as he went 2/4 with a home run and three RBIs. Both Keibert Ruiz and Jacob Young each drove in two for the Nationals’ offense.
After dropping two straight games, the Reds are 47-51 overall this season and 8.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. They are in 4th place in the division, with a 12-14 record in divisional matchups. This season, Cincinnati has a 25-21 record as the favorite and a 22-30 record as the underdog.
Against the run line, the Reds are 53-45 and have a 30-15 record on the road. Their games have averaged 8.6 runs, and the over/under record is 44-50. When the total is 8.5, the Reds are 9-8, and 52.0% of their games have had O/U lines above 8.5.
Nick Lodolo Gets The Start For The Reds
Cincinnati is sending left-hander Nick Lodolo to the mound today as he faces the Nationals on the road. Lodolo has made 14 starts this season and has a record of 8-3 with a 3.33 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Lodolo has a WHIP of 1.12 and opponents are batting .213 this season. In his last outing, Lodolo finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. Before that, he had also finished with a no-decision in two straight outings. Lodolo’s last loss came on June 23rd, where he gave up three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. He has made six quality starts this season.
Reds Offense Breakdown
Elly De La Cruz has been on a tear of late, as he is currently on a seven-game hitting streak and has a team-high 17 homers. De La Cruz is batting .255 for the season and has driven in 43 runs, which is the 3rd best mark in the league. Over his last five games, Rece Hinds has gone 6/18 with three homers and seven RBIs.
As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 14th in the league. They are also 11th in home runs and have the 16th best team batting average in the league. Currently, they are one of the worst teams in terms of striking out, averaging nine strikeouts per game.
Washington has an over/under record of 47-47 this season, with an average of 8.7 runs per game. The over has hit in their last three games, and their O/U record in games with an 8.5 run total is 14-16.
In run line betting, the Nationals have been most profitable as underdogs, with a 47-34 record. Overall, they are 30-23 vs. the run line on the road and 25-20 at home. Washington’s series record this season is 12-17-2, and they are currently leading their series vs. the Reds.
MacKenzie Gore Gets The Start For The Nationals
MacKenzie Gore gets the start for the Nationals today and will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Mets. In that start, he took the loss, going 4 2/3 innings and giving up four earned runs. Looking further back, Gore has made 19 appearances this season and has a record of 6-8. His ERA for the season is 4.01, along with a WHIP of 1.43. Opposing batters are hitting .255 off Gore this season. One positive note is that he has turned in five quality starts and is averaging 10.58 strikeouts per nine innings.
Nationals Offense Breakdown
Washington’s offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, averaging just 4.2 runs per game (21st) and are also near the bottom of the league in home runs. As a team, they are batting just .239, which is 11th in the league. Heading into the game, CJ Abrams and Jesse Winker are tied for the team lead with 11 homers, with Abrams also leading the team with 48 RBIs.
Over his last five games, CJ Abrams has gone just 3/22, but he does have three runs and a home run during that stretch. Luis Garcia Jr. has also homered in his last four games while going 4/14. Juan Yepez is on an 11-game hitting streak and has gone 9/17 with four RBIs in his last five games.
Reds vs Nationals Prediction
Our prediction for this Reds vs. Nationals matchup is to take the Reds on the money line, with the payout sitting at -108. We actually have the Reds winning this one by a score of 6-5, which would also make the over a good pick if you’re looking to go that route.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Nick Lodolo finishing with eight strikeouts, which is the highest projection among all starters today. As for MacKenzie Gore, he is projected to finish with seven K’s, and we have him finishing with a 14th best earned run projection.
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:July 20, 2024 Nationals, Reds