The Cincinnati Reds will face the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park this Friday evening, kicking off at 6:45 PM ET. As both teams seek to improve their standings, the Reds come in with a 47-50 season record, positioning them 4th in the NL Central, trailing the Brewers by eight games. The Nationals, on the other hand, hold a 44-53 record and stand 4th in the NL East, lagging behind the Phillies by a notable 18.5 games.
Key Matchup: Starting Pitchers
The Reds are sending Frankie Montas to the mound. Montas has had a challenging season so far, with a 4-7 record and a 4.38 ERA across 17 starts. His last outing against the Rockies saw him concede five earned runs over seven innings. On the Nationals' side, Patrick Corbin will take the mound. Corbin, with a 4-9 record and a 5.57 ERA over 19 starts, has been struggling. Notably, Corbin has surrendered at least one home run in each of his last four outings, despite pitching seven scoreless innings back on June 24th. He is projected to notch five strikeouts in this game.
Team Records and Recent Performances
The Reds have shown mixed results recently, achieving a 4-1 record over their last five away games. In their previous game against the Marlins, they suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat, with pitcher Nick Lodolo giving up two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. Elly De La Cruz provided some early fireworks with a homer in the first inning.
The Nationals, conversely, have a 2-3 record over their last five home games and a 3-7 record over the last ten games. Their most recent encounter resulted in a 9-3 loss to the Brewers, with Jake Irvin allowing six earned runs in four innings. However, they did manage to win two out of three games in their latest series against the Brewers.
Offensive and Defensive Stats
The Reds are averaging 4.5 runs per game, placing them at 14th in the league. Their team batting average sits at .231, putting them 17th in on-base percentage and 25th in strikeouts. A standout player for the Reds has been Spencer Steer, who has driven in 60 runs and hit 15 home runs, ranking him 10th in the MLB for RBIs.
Meanwhile, the Nationals average 4.1 runs per game, ranking 23rd in the league, and this figure rises to 4.2 runs per game at home. Their batting average of .239 ranks them 13th in on-base percentage. CJ Abrams has been a key offensive player, leading with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs, though he has had a tough stretch recently, going 3/21 in his last five games.
Odds and Expectations
The Reds are favored to win the game, while the Nationals, marked as underdogs at +105, have a projected 62% chance of victory. The over/under for the game is set at nine runs. Interestingly, the Reds have a 2-16-3 record when the over/under sits at nine runs, while the Nationals hold a 7-7-2 record under similar conditions.
Absent from the game for the Reds will be Joey Gallo, Luke Maile, and Matt McLain. The Nationals will be without Trevor Williams, Josiah Gray, and CJ Abrams.
Against the Run Line
On the run line, the Reds hold a 53-44 overall record and a remarkable 30-14 record on the road. The Nationals, as underdogs, have a solid 46-34 record against the run line.
This matchup promises to be a compelling contest, especially with both teams hungry for a win to bolster their standings. With two seasoned pitchers taking the mound and key players both present and absent, fans can anticipate a game rich with strategic play and pivotal moments.