In a highly anticipated Friday evening game, the Cincinnati Reds are set to face off against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:45 PM ET. As the two teams prepare to battle it out, the Reds come in slightly favored, despite both teams sitting in 4th place within their respective divisions.
Current Season Standings
The Cincinnati Reds enter the matchup holding a record of 47-50, positioning them eight games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals have a 44-53 record, trailing the Phillies by a substantial 18.5 games in the NL East. Despite their similar standings, the Reds are perceived to have a slight edge in this contest. They have been tagged as the favorites, although the Nationals have been given a +105 underdog designation, with a 62% projected chance of victory.
Pitching Matchup
On the mound for the Reds will be Frankie Montas, who has had a rocky season with a 4-7 record and a 4.38 ERA across 17 starts. His most recent outing saw him give up five earned runs over seven innings against the Rockies. The Nationals will counter with Patrick Corbin, who similarly has struggled this season, evidenced by his 4-9 record and 5.57 ERA over 19 starts. Corbin has notably surrendered at least one home run in each of his last four appearances, though he did pitch a gem on June 24th with seven scoreless innings. He is projected to finish tonight's game with five strikeouts.
Team Performance
The Reds are coming off a narrow 3-2 loss to the Marlins, a game in which Nick Lodolo allowed two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. Rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz provided an early spark with a home run in the first inning, but the Reds couldn’t maintain the momentum. Currently, the Reds have a 4-1 record over their previous five away games and a 5-5 record when playing as favorites.
The Nationals, on the other hand, endured a heavy 9-3 drubbing by the Brewers in their last outing, with Jake Irvin giving up six earned runs over four innings. Despite this, the Nationals managed to win two of three games in their most recent series against the Brewers, but overall, they have posted a disappointing 3-7 record over their last 10 games. At home, they have a 2-3 record over the last five games. As underdogs, the Nationals have showcased some resilience with a straight-up 6-4 record and a 5-5 standing against the runline.
Offensive Dynamics
Offensively, the Reds are averaging 4.5 runs per game, ranking 14th in the league. Their batting average sits at .231, ranking them 17th in on-base percentage but 25th in strikeouts, indicating a struggle with consistency at the plate. Spencer Steer has been a significant contributor, driving in 60 runs and hitting 15 home runs, placing him 10th in RBIs in the MLB.
The Nationals, averaging 4.1 runs per game and 4.2 runs at home, are positioned 23rd in the league in scoring. They have a slightly better team batting average of .239 and rank 13th in on-base percentage. CJ Abrams has emerged as a key player, leading the Nationals with 15 homers and 48 RBIs, although he has been in a slump, with just three hits in his last 21 at-bats.
Betting Insights
For those eyeing the betting lines, the over/under for the game is set at nine runs. Historically, the Reds have a 2-16-3 record when the over/under is set at this mark, while the Nationals stand at 7-7-2 under similar conditions. Additionally, the Reds have performed well on the runline, holding a 53-44 record overall and an impressive 30-14 on the road. The Nationals have also fared decently as underdogs, with a 46-34 record against the run line.
Injury Reports
Both teams will be missing key players. The Reds are without Joey Gallo, Luke Maile, and Matt McLain, while the Nationals will be missing Trevor Williams, Josiah Gray, and CJ Abrams.
As the Reds and Nationals gear up for this clash, both teams will be looking to break stride and gain some much-needed momentum. With intriguing pitching dynamics and critical offensive contributions on both sides, tonight's game promises to be a compelling match for all baseball aficionados.