The Reds (67-61, 36-27 away) travel to take on the Diamondbacks (66-61, 32-31 home) in game one of this National League matchup. Brandon Williamson is getting the start for the Reds while Merrill Kelly is starting for the Diamondbacks. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Cincinnati Reds vs. Arizona Diamondbacks showdown at Chase Field.

CINCINNATI REDS VS ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cincinnati Reds +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Chase Field at 9:40 ET on Thursday, August 24th.

WHY BET THE CINCINNATI REDS:

  • Over their last five games on the road, Cincinnati is 3-2 against the runline.
  • In their last ten games as the underdog, the Reds have put together a runline record of 7-3.
  • Opponents are hitting just .200 against Brandon Williamson in his last four starts.

CINCINNATI REDS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL CENTRAL

For the season, the Reds have put together a record of 67-61 and are 2nd in the NL Central, putting them 3.5 games out of first place. Cincinnati’s overall series record sits at 18-17-5. On the road, they have gone 36-27 and 31-34 at home.

Brandon Williamson takes the mound for the Reds, boasting a 4-3 record. Through 17 appearances, he has posted a 4.46 ERA and 7.89 K/9 rate, as well as a 4.76 FIP and .300 OBP.

Brandon Williamson endured a tough outing in his last start, surrendering four earned runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. Unfortunately, the Reds were unable to come away with the victory, falling 4-3 to the Blue Jays.

This season, the Reds are 9th in the league at 4.8 runs per game. Over their last ten games, they have a combined batting average of .232 (20th) leading to 4.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.4 walks per game compared to 9 strikeouts. Cincinnati’s on-base percentage of .327 has them 7th in the MLB.

The Reds will be without Jonathan India today due to injury, a significant absence considering his .251 batting average and .409 slugging percentage this season.

WILL THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Diamondbacks will be looking for their 5th straight win in today’s game and have an overall record of 66-61. At home, Arizona has put together a record of 32-31 while going 34-30 on the road. Currently, they are in 2nd place in the NL West.

Merrill Kelly will make his 23rd start of the season today, boasting a 10-5 record and 3.13 ERA. He has limited opposing hitters to a .288 OBP while striking out 134 batters and maintaining a 1.18 WHIP. On the road, he has been particularly effective with an ERA of 3.05 compared to 3.41 at home.

Merrill Kelly earned the win in Arizona’s 6-4 triumph over San Diego last time out, despite allowing three runs on five hits.

Having gone deep 3 times in their last five games, the Diamondbacks are 8th in that span. At 4.7 runs per game, Arizona is 12th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .254 while hitting a total of 140 home runs (17th).

Christian Walker has been a major offensive force for the Diamondbacks in 2023. The slugger leads the team with 28 home runs and 84 RBIs, while his season-long slugging percentage is an impressive .528.