The Cincinnati Reds will be taking on their NL Central foe Pittsburgh Pirates in a Friday night game. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET and the action will be shown on either ATPT or FSOH.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Odds
Oddsmakers have listed Pittsburgh (-120) as the favorite over Cincinnati (+110). Bettors can wager on the game’s total with odds sitting at -105 for over eight runs and -115 for under eight. Runline odds stand at -190 for taking the Reds +1.5 runs and +165 for the Pirates -1.5.
The Pirates are 2-3 straight up (SU) and 2-2 against the spread (ATS). The team has lost 2.0 units for moneyline bettors and 1.0 unit ATS. The Reds have gone 1-5 SU this year and are 3-2 against the spread. In total, the club has lost 3.6 units for moneyline bettors in the season’s early going, but have gained 1.7 units ATS.
Pittsburgh games have had an over/under record of 2-2 in 2019. The Reds have an over/under record of 0-5.
Sonny Gray (0-1, 6.75 ERA) will get the start for Cincinnati. The right-handed Gray struck out 123 hitters over 130 innings last year (23 starts) while finishing the season 11-9 overall with a 4.90 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.
The Bucs will put the ball in the hands of righty Joe Musgrove (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who started 19 games last year while finishing the season 6-9 overall with a 4.06 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He recorded two starts against Cincinnati a year ago and compiled a 1-1 record with a 6.75 ERA and 14 strikeouts.
As a unit, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has given up 3.2 runs per game overall this year. The club’s starters have an ERA of 1.55, a WHIP of 0.86 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 7.8. The bullpen has a 4.50 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 12.5 K/9. In five games against divisional foes, Pirates starters have an ERA of 1.55 and the bullpen’s ERA is 4.50.
Pittsburgh’s hitters are putting up 3.8 runs per contest so far this season and the team has a slash-line of .227/.348/.337 to begin the year.
The Pirates’ offense has been led by second baseman Adam Frazier and right fielder Melky Cabrera. Frazier is hitting .318/.400/.409 with seven hits, one RBI and two runs scored, and Cabrera’s line sits at .429/.467/.500 with six hits and zero RBIs.
In the visiting dugout, Cincinnati’s pitching staff allowed 3.2 runs per game and its starters own a 2.35 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 10.57 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 3.63, along with a K-per-9 of 6.04.
The Reds offense has not warmed up yet, hitting only .164/.244/.265 on its way to 1.8 runs scored per game in 2019.
Catcher Tucker Barnhart and second baseman Jose Peraza have led Cincinnati’s hitters. Barnhart is slashing .313/.421/.375 with five hits and zero RBIs. Peraza (.263/.263/.421) has produced five hits, one RBI and three runs scored.
The Reds have lost 3.6 units and are 3-2 ATS when facing a righty starter this season. The over has cashed in zero of those games, compared to five that’ve gone under in such games. On the other hand, the Pirates have lost 2.0 units and are 2-2 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in two of those games, as opposed to two that’ve cashed the under.
Reds vs. Pirates Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Pirates, ATS Winner – Reds, O/U – UNDER
Betting Notes
- The Pirates went 14-5 SU against the Reds in 2018.
- The Pirates’ bullpen managed an ERA of 2.81 against the Reds last year.
- The Reds have a team OPS of .509 this season and an OPS of .489 against right-handed pitchers. The Pirates’ OPS sits at .685 overall and their left-right split is nearly identical.
