The Cincinnati Reds (34-37) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (34-37) on Monday, June 17th. This game will be played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and televised on BSOH. The Pirates are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Reds are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Brewers. First pitch is set for 5:40 CT.
Reds vs Pirates
Cincinnati is coming off a game in which they wasted several good performances. In their 5-4 loss to the Brewers, Elly De La Cruz went 2/3 with a homer and three RBIs. The Reds also got a good start from Frankie Montas, going five innings and giving up three runs on four hits. However, they took him out after just json K’s and issued the loss out of the bullpen.
Lucas Sims took the loss out of the bullpen, as the Reds allowed the Brewers to score in the bottom of the 8th to take the lead. Cincinnati was the +128 underdog going into this road game.
Cincinnati is on the road today vs. the Pirates, and they are looking to get back to .500, as they are currently 34-37 overall. The Reds and Pirates are both 8.0 games behind the Brewers for the NL Central lead, and they are both 8-8 in divisional games this year.
The Reds dropped the final two games of their series with the Brewers, losing the series 2-1. As the underdog, the Reds are 16-24 this year, and they are 18-19 at home compared to 16-18 on the road. So far, their overall series record is 8-13-2.
When betting on the Reds’ run line this season, it’s been profitable to take them on the road, where they are 23-11 against the run line. Their average run differential on the road is +0.7 runs per game, and their overall run line record is 38-33. They are 15-16 against the run line as the favorite and 23-17 as the underdog.
When the Reds are on the road, the over/under line is set at 8 runs, which is below their season average of 8.4 runs per game. Cincinnati’s over/under record for the season is 31-37, and when the line is set at 8 runs, they are 3-5. Overall, 67.6% of their games have had higher over/under lines than 8 runs, and they are currently on a two-game under streak.
Carson Spiers Gets The Start For The Reds
Carson Spiers is making his first start of the season for the Reds, as he has been used out of the bullpen in each of his previous 4 appearances. He has gone 5 2/3 innings in his most recent outing, which came against the Cubs. Spiers has yet to give up a home run this season.
Reds Offense Breakdown
Jeimer Candelario has been swinging a hot bat for the Reds of late, as he is hitting .343 over his last nine games with four homers and 10 RBIs. Candelario’s 35 RBIs this season is the 2nd best mark on the team, and he is tied with Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer for the team lead in homers. Steer has also been a solid run producer for the Reds, as his 42 RBIs is 13th in the league.
Overall, the Reds are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 16th in the league. Their team batting average of .226 is 19th in the league, and their on-base percentage of .307 is 14th. As a team, they are 15th in home runs and have the 11th best isolated power figure in the league.
Pittsburgh is coming off a big 8-2 win over the Rockies to close out their series. Leading up to the game, they were the slight favorite at -114 on the money line. It was a five-run 6th inning that really turned things in their favor, and the Rockies could only score two runs, both of which came in the 7th.
Josh Fleming put together a good start for the Pirates, going four innings and not giving up a run. He only had two strikeouts in the outing and got the win. Pittsburgh’s offense was carried by Rowdy Tellez, who went 3/5 with two RBIs.
The Pirates are 34-37 overall and trail the Brewers by eight games in the NL Central. So far, they are 8-9 in divisional games. Pittsburgh is hosting the Reds today with an overall home record of 16-17, and they are one game above .500 at 18-20 on the road.
As the home favorite this season, the Pirates are 6-11 and 12-17 overall as the favorite. They have been better as the underdog, putting together a mark of 22-20 this season. Pittsburgh’s overall series record is 9-10-4, and they won their most recent series vs. the Rockies. The Pirates are 5-5 over their last 10 games.
Despite their sub-.500 run differential, the Pirates have been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 39-32. They have been particularly good on the run line as the underdog, going 29-13. Their average run differential in winning games is +3.1, while it’s -3.6 in losing games.
When the Pirates play at home, the over/under line is set at 8 runs on average. Their games have averaged 8.6 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 35-35. When the line is set at 8 runs, their over/under record is 9-10. This season, 45.1% of their games have had over/under lines set at more than 8 runs.
Paul Skenes Gets The Start For The Pirates
Pittsburgh is sending right-hander Paul Skenes to the mound today vs. the Reds. He has made six starts this year and has a record of 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA. Skenes has made four quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he didn’t allow a run. In that appearance vs. the Cardinals, he went 6 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and issuing zero walks. Skenes has been pitching well lately, as he has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last three starts. His ERA at home is 4.55 compared to 1.0 on the road.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
Over his last 10 games, Bryan Reynolds has gone 14/42 and is currently on a 14-game hitting streak. For the season, he is batting .267 and leads the Pirates with 38 RBIs. Reynolds and Oneil Cruz are both tied for 2nd on the team with nine homers. Cruz has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 10/31 in his last eight games.
Andrew McCutchen has gone 11/34 over his last eight games, including two home runs. He also has a three-game hitting streak heading into today’s game. McCutchen’s 10 homers are the most on the Pirates and 4th best in the league.
Reds vs Pirates Prediction
Looking at the money line, we actually like the Pirates to pick up the win, but at -197, the payout isn’t worth the risk. Instead, we are predicting this game to go over the 8 run line, and you can get this at -106.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Carson Spiers is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and Paul Skenes is projected to finish with five. If you are looking for a player prop bet, you could take the over on Spiers and Skenes’ strikeout totals.
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:June 17, 2024 Pirates, Reds