Johan Oviedo will get the start for the Pirates (52-63, 28-30 home) as they host the Reds (60-57, 31-26 away) at PNC Park. The Reds will give the starting nod to Andrew Abbott. Check out my prediction for game one of this NL Central matchup between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.

CINCINNATI REDS VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cincinnati Reds -1.5 Runs

This game will be played at PNC Park at 7:05 ET on Friday, August 11th.

WHY BET THE CINCINNATI REDS:

  • In their last three games, the Reds have gone 2-1 vs. the runline.
  • As the road favorite, the Reds’ runline win streak currently stands at two games.
  • In Andrew Abbott’s three most recent starts, the Reds are 2-1.

CINCINNATI REDS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL CENTRAL

This season, the Reds have an overall series record of 17-14-4 and are currently 2nd in the NL Central. Cincinnati’s overall record is 60-57, which includes their current two game losing streak. On the road, the Reds are 31-26 and 29-31 at home.

Andrew Abbott is off to a strong start in 2023, boasting a 6-3 record and an ERA of 2.93. His road performances have been particularly impressive, with a 4-1 record and 4.13 ERA in six appearances away from home. At home, he has gone 2-2 with an ERA of 3.03. Abbott’s season-long WHIP stands at 1.15, while opponents are hitting just .210 against him and slugging .377.

Andrew Abbott endured a difficult outing in his most recent start, surrendering six earned runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings as the Reds fell 7-3 to the Nationals. The right-hander has struggled in 2023, with a 6.75 ERA and 1.58 WHIP over seven starts.

This season, the Reds are 7th in the league at 4.8 runs per game. Over their last ten games, they have a combined batting average of .222 (22nd) leading to 4.4 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’ offensive leader, Spencer Steer, is batting .268 this season. His slugging percentage stands at .466 and his on-base percentage is .350.

WILL THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

For the season, the Pirates have an overall record of 52-63, placing them 4th in the NL Central. Against other NL Central opponents, they are 13-17 along with going 28-30 and 24-33 at home and on the road, respectively. So far, they have played a total of 35 series, going 11-20-4.

Pittsburgh is relying on Johan Oviedo to deliver another strong performance, as he has earned a victory in three consecutive contests. The right-hander currently holds an ERA of 4.18 and a 6-11 record. Oviedo has recorded 117 strikeouts and allowed an average of .232 over the course of the season, with opponents registering a slugging percentage of .384 against him.

Pittsburgh is looking to Johan Oviedo to lead them to another victory, as the Pirates emerged victorious (4-1) the last time he took the mound. Oviedo was impressive in his outing, allowing no earned runs on two hits over seven innings.

Offensively, Pittsburgh is ranked 21st in the league with an average of 4.2 runs per game. When looking over their last five matchups, the Pirates averaged 5.8 runs per contest, which is 2nd best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, Pittsburgh is 21st in all of baseball, with a total of 114 home runs.

Ke’Bryan Hayes has been a key contributor to the Pirates’ offense this season, leading the team with seven home runs over their last five games. His batting average of .255 is also impressive, as he continues to be a reliable source of power for Pittsburgh.