Reds and Nationals Set for Friday Night Showdown
Friday evening will witness an intriguing matchup at Nationals Park as the Cincinnati Reds face off against the Washington Nationals. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM ET, with both teams looking to improve their standings in their respective divisions.
The Cincinnati Reds enter the game with a season record of 47-50. Situated in 4th place in the NL Central, they trail the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers by eight games. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals hold a 44-53 record, also occupying 4th place, but in the NL East, where they lag 18.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.
Despite their positioning, the Reds find themselves favored for the evening's clash. The Nationals, marked as underdogs with odds of +105, hold a projected 62% chance of victory, according to recent projections.
Starting Pitchers: Montas vs. Corbin
Frankie Montas is set to take the mound for the Reds. Montas has had a mixed season, holding a 4-7 record with a 4.38 ERA across 17 starts. His most recent outing saw him concede five earned runs over seven innings against the Rockies. Montas will be looking to bounce back and show the form that can lead the Reds to victory.
The Nationals will counter with Patrick Corbin. Corbin's performance this season has been less than stellar, reflected in his 4-9 record and 5.57 ERA over 19 starts. Despite his struggles, including giving up at least one home run in each of his last four outings, he delivered a gem on June 24th, pitching seven scoreless innings. Corbin is projected to notch up five strikeouts in this game, a statistic that could play a crucial role.
Recent Performances
Both teams seem to have had a mixed bag of results leading up to this fixture. The Reds have a relatively solid 4-1 record over their previous five away games and have demonstrated resilience as favorites with a 5-5 record. However, they lost their last game against the Marlins with a close score of 3-2, where Nick Lodolo gave up two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings and Elly De La Cruz managed a home run in the first inning.
On the other hand, the Nationals have struggled somewhat with a 2-3 record at home over their last five games and a 3-7 record over their last 10 games. They did, however, manage to win two out of three games in their most recent series against the Brewers. In their last outing, the Nationals were defeated by the Brewers 9-3, with Jake Irvin giving up six earned runs in four innings.
Team Analysis
Offensively, the Reds average 4.5 runs per game, placing them 14th in the league. Their .231 batting average ranks them 17th in on-base percentage, though they struggle with strikeouts, ranking 25th. Spencer Steer has been a standout performer, contributing 60 RBIs and 15 home runs, ranking him 10th in RBIs across MLB.
The Nationals, meanwhile, average 4.1 runs per game, placing them 23rd overall. At home, they slightly improve to 4.2 runs per game. With a .239 batting average and ranking 13th in on-base percentage, the Nationals show they can fare better in getting on base. CJ Abrams leads the team with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs, although he's recently been in a slump, going 3-for-21 in his last five games.
Betting Insights and Absences
The betting line for the game reflects an over/under set at nine runs. The Reds have a peculiar 2-16-3 record when the over/under is set at nine, while the Nationals are 7-7-2 under similar conditions.
Significant absences may impact both teams. The Reds will be missing Joey Gallo, Luke Maile, and Matt McLain. The Nationals are without Trevor Williams, Josiah Gray, and CJ Abrams, adding another layer of complexity to the game.
The Reds show strength on the run line with a 53-44 record, particularly excelling on the road with an impressive 30-14 performance. Contrastingly, the Nationals hold a 46-34 record against the run line as underdogs.
All these factors make for a fascinating game at Nationals Park. With both teams eager to turn their fortunes around, Friday night's contest promises to be a captivating blend of strategy, skill, and determination.