Cincinnati Reds vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/20/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cincinnati Reds vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Saturday, August 20, 2022

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

The Cincinnati Reds (46-70) are hitting the road to PNC Park on Saturday where they will meet the Pittsburgh Pirates (45-72). The expected starting pitchers are Justin Dunn and Zach Thompson.

The Reds have accumulated 178 two-baggers as a squad and have smacked 108 balls out of the park. Cincinnati is slugging .375 and have been rung up 1,044 times, while drawing a walk on 325 occasions. As a squad, the Cincinnati Reds are scoring 4.2 runs per game, which has them sitting at 20th in the league. They have recorded 466 runs batted in in addition to 920 hits for the year, while their team batting average is at .239. They have racked up 486 runs and hold an OBP of .308.

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Reds pitchers have relinquished 160 home runs and also 604 runs in total (28th in baseball). They have walked 435 batters and their FIP is 4.66 as a team for the year. Their K/BB ratio is 2.35 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.42. The Reds are sitting with a team earned run average of 5.04 on the year (29th in baseball), and they have rung up 1,021 batters.

The Reds have sent 410 relievers to the hill this season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 181 base runners so far this year with 34.3% of them earned a run for their team. They have compiled 24 saves this season and have blown 16 of 40 chances to save the game. The Reds relief pitchers have earned a save percentage of 60.0% and stepped onto the hill in 87 save situations. The relievers have tallied 47 holds on the campaign (26th in the league). Reds bullpen pitchers have entered the game with players on base 119 times as well as having 103 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Cincinnati Reds have a total of 3,057 putouts on the campaign, as well as 897 assists and 59 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .985 which ranks 15th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 75 double plays. The Reds have transformed 68.3% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 9,171 innings, ranking them 25th in the majors.

Dunn (5-5 win-loss record in his career) has earned a FIP of 5.92 while he has faced 486 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has surrendered 82 hits (6.6 hits per 9 innings) and has had 73 walks. His ERA is 4.30 (53 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.396. Dunn has pitched in 111 frames and is sitting with 98 punch outs thus far in his career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a team OBP of .288 in addition to a team batting average of .220 for the season. They have been rung up on 1,091 instances (3rd in the league) and have earned a total of 845 hits. Pittsburgh has recorded 115 home runs for the year as well as 393 runs batted in. The Pirates have a SLG% of .361 and they score 3.60 runs per outing (28th in the league). They have put up 158 doubles, while walking 342 times as well as scoring 421 runs.

The Pirates are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.431 with a FIP of 4.30 as a unit for the season. They rank 27th in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,055. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have relinquished 589 runs on the campaign and come in with a team ERA of 4.65 (530 earned runs relinquished). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 2.14 (885 strikeouts vs 413 walks). They have allowed 121 home runs and they relinquish 5.17 runs per 9 innings (26th in baseball).

Pittsburgh relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 35.7% of 171 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 127 times in high leverage situations and also on 117 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 106 save situations, the Pirates have compiled 56 holds in addition to 21 blown saves. They are ranked 27th in MLB with a save percentage of 55.3%, and they have sent 368 relief pitchers onto the field for the year. Pittsburgh has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the contest in 47 save opportunities and they have walked away with 26 saves.

Out of their 9,234 innings on the field, the Pirates have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 67.5% (29th in MLB). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 114 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .981 (30th in pro baseball). The Pirates have accrued 1,107 assists, 79 errors and are sitting with 3,078 putouts during this campaign.

During his MLB career, Thompson has given up 167 base knocks while he has tallied 133 strikeouts in 169 innings. Thompson (6-16 career mark) has a 4.41 earned run average while giving up 8.9 hits per nine innings. He has conceded 83 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.376 and having a FIP of 4.6. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.02 and he has faced 736 hitters during his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Cincinnati

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