Pittsburgh Pirates vs
Cincinnati RedsPredictions & Preview

Pittsburgh Pirates Favored Over Cincinnati Reds in Divisional Matchup at Great American Ball Park

This week in the MLB features an exciting divisional matchup between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds. Bailey Falter will be taking the mound for the Pirates, while Carson Spiers will be starting for the Reds. The game is set to take place at 7:10 PM ET at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH. The Reds are currently the betting favorite, opening at -108 and now sitting at -121.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Pirates +110 | Reds -121
• Spread: Pirates +1.5 (-186) | Reds -1.5 (+165)
• Total: Over/Under 10 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Cincinnati will win straight-up is 55%.

Pittsburgh vs Cincinnati Stats

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are showing positive signs of progress as a franchise with strong top-of-the-rotation arms in Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. However, they lack depth in the rotation and need more production from their offense, given their low payroll. Currently, the Pirates are 37-40, 7.5 games behind the first-place Brewers but only 1.5 games out of the Wild Card race. In their recent series against Tampa Bay, they lost two out of three games, with Colin Holderman taking the loss in relief in the last game. Offensively, Bryan Reynolds hit a home run for their only run. Bailey Falter will start the next game, with a 3-5 record and a 3.74 ERA. The Pirates are ranked 24th in offense, 18th in defense, and have a power ranking of 20.

Cincinnati Reds Analysis

Despite high expectations at the start of the 2024 season, the Cincinnati Reds have struggled, currently sitting in last place in the N.L. Central with a record of 36-41. Recent losses have added to their challenges, including a 7-4 defeat against the Red Sox where pitcher Nick Lodolo took the loss after giving up three earned runs. In another game against the Pirates, pitcher Carson Spiers allowed four earned runs over 6.0 innings in a 4-1 loss. Overall, the Reds have a power ranking of 10, with a ranking of #19 for offense and #8 for defense. The team is currently priced at +340 to make the postseason.

Pittsburgh Pirates Favored Over Cincinnati Reds in Divisional Matchup

The upcoming divisional matchup between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds is anticipated to be an exciting start to the new week in MLB, with odds suggesting an evenly matched game (PIT: -105, CIN: -108). Despite both teams' performances being somewhat lackluster this season, the Pirates have shown greater consistency. Therefore, I am inclined to favor them on the moneyline at -105. One of the primary reasons for my preference for the Pirates is their advantage in starting pitching. Bailey Falter recently demonstrated strong performance against the Reds, limiting them to two earned runs over 7.0 innings. With Cincinnati's struggling offense averaging only 2.5 runs per game over their last 2-6 SU, I believe Falter has the potential to lead the Pirates to victory once again. As a result, I am backing the Pirates in this matchup.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]