Graham Ashcraft will get the start for the Reds (62-58, 29-31 home) as they host the Guardians (57-62, 26-34 away) at Great American Ball Park. The Guardians will give the starting nod to Logan Allen. Check out my prediction for game one of this interleague matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS VS CINCINNATI REDS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cincinnati Reds -110

This game will be played at Great American Ball Park at 6:40 ET on Tuesday, August 15th.

WHY BET THE CINCINNATI REDS:

  • The Guardians are just 3-7 in their last ten road games.
  • In their five most recent games as the favorite, the Guardians have gone just 2-3 straight-up.
  • The Guardians are just 1-2 in Logan Allen’s last three starts.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS ON A RUNLINE WIN STREAK

On a record of 57-62, the Guardians are 2nd in the AL Central. At home, they have put together a win percent of 52.5% compared to 43.3% on the road. This season, Cleveland has gone 27-33 against teams who are above .500, and hold an overall series record of 16-18-3.

The Guardians will turn to starter Logan Allen, who has posted a 5-5 record in 17 appearances this season. He has an ERA of 3.55 and a K/9 of 8.67, while his FIP stands at 4.09 and OBP is .319.

Logan Allen’s most recent start ended in a 1-0 defeat to the Blue Jays. Over five innings, he surrendered one run on four hits.

Offensively, Cleveland is ranked 24th in the league with an average of 4.1 runs per game. When looking over their last five matchups, the Guardians averaged 5.2 runs per contest, which is 6th best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, Cleveland is 27th in all of baseball, with a total of 87 home runs.

Over the Guardians’ past five contests, Andrés Giménez has been the club’s top slugger, with one home run. His season total stands at 11 long balls, and he holds a .246 batting average.

WILL THE CINCINNATI REDS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Heading into today’s game, the Reds are 2nd in the NL Central with an overall record of 62-58. When looking at their performance in their 37 series, Cincinnati is 17-16-4. Against below .500 teams, the Reds are 30-30 while going 33-27 on the road and 29-31 at home.

Graham Ashcraft has had a bumpy ride in his 22 outings this season, with a 6-7 record and 4.95 ERA. His WHIP is 1.41 and opponents are hitting .333 against him, while he has an 88/46 strikeout to walk ratio. Unfortunately, the right-hander has allowed a home run in each of his last two appearances.

Ashcraft has been a reliable starter for the Reds this season, posting a 3.45 ERA in nine starts.

Graham Ashcraft’s last outing was a quality start, as he pitched seven innings and only allowed one run. Unfortunately, the Reds were unable to come away with the win, losing 5-4 to the Marlins.

For the season, the Reds are 12th in batting average, hitting a combined .251. Over their last five games, they have hit .257 which is 10th in that span. Cincinnati’s average of 4.8 runs per game puts them 6th in the league. In terms of home runs, they have gone deep 139 times and have a team slugging percentage of .417.

TJ Friedl has been a major contributor to the Reds’ offense this season, leading the team in home runs over their last ten games with two and totaling 10 on the year. He also boasts an impressive .277 batting average.