The Cincinnati Reds are set to face the Washington Nationals on Friday evening at Nationals Park, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:45 PM ET. The Reds, who currently have a season record of 47-50, are looking to improve their standings in the NL Central, where they trail the Brewers by eight games. Meanwhile, the Nationals hold a 44-53 record and are lagging behind the Phillies by 18.5 games in the NL East.
Despite their position, the Reds enter the game as favorites. Conversely, the Nationals are listed as underdogs at +105, although they have a projected 62% chance of victory. This juxtaposition sets the stage for what promises to be an intriguing matchup.
Pitching Matchup
Taking the mound for the Reds will be Frankie Montas, who holds a 4-7 record with a 4.38 ERA over 17 starts this season. Montas struggled in his most recent outing, giving up five earned runs in seven innings against the Rockies. The Reds will be hoping he can return to form and deliver a strong performance.
Opposing Montas is Patrick Corbin for the Nationals. Corbin has had his share of difficulties this season, posting a 4-9 record with a 5.57 ERA in 19 starts. Notably, he has conceded at least one home run in each of his last four outings. Nevertheless, he showed a flash of brilliance on June 24th, when he pitched seven scoreless innings. Corbin is projected to finish with five strikeouts in today’s game.
Team Performance
The Reds have demonstrated resilience on the road, boasting a 4-1 record over their previous five away games. However, they fell short in their last game against the Marlins, losing 3-2. In that contest, Nick Lodolo allowed two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings, while Elly De La Cruz provided an early spark with a first-inning home run.
On the other hand, the Nationals have posted a 2-3 record at home over their last five games. They come off a 9-3 loss to the Brewers, in which Jake Irvin surrendered six earned runs in four innings. Despite the recent struggles, the Nationals managed to win two out of three games in their series against the Brewers.
Offensive Insights
From an offensive perspective, the Reds are averaging 4.5 runs per game, placing them 14th in the league. However, their batting average stands at .231, leading to a ranking of 17th in on-base percentage and 25th in strikeouts. Spencer Steer has been a standout performer for the Reds, driving in 60 runs and hitting 15 home runs, making him one of the top ten in RBIs in the MLB.
The Nationals, meanwhile, average 4.1 runs per game, ranking 23rd in the league. At home, they slightly improve to 4.2 runs per game. Their batting average of .239 places them 13th in on-base percentage. CJ Abrams leads the Nationals with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs, though he has struggled recently, going 3/21 in his last five games.
Statistics and 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 nine, while the Nationals have a 7-7-2 record under similar conditions. Additionally, the Reds have a solid 53-44 record on the run line and are particularly strong on the road with a 30-14 performance on the run line. The Nationals have also shown some tenacity, holding a 46-34 record against the run line as underdogs.
Both teams will be missing some key players. The Reds will be without Joey Gallo, Luke Maile, and Matt McLain. The Nationals, on the other hand, will be without Trevor Williams, Josiah Gray, and CJ Abrams.
As the Reds and Nationals prepare to clash, fans can anticipate a competitive game. With both teams eager to assert themselves and defy their current standings, the encounter at Nationals Park promises to offer plenty of excitement and drama.