Cincinnati Reds vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 7/5/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cincinnati Reds vs Washington Nationals

Date: Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: MASN

The Washington Nationals (34-49) welcome the Cincinnati Reds (45-39) at Nationals Park on Wednesday. The pitchers expected to start will be Graham Ashcraft and Josiah Gray.

As a team, the Cincinnati Reds are scoring 5.0 runs per game, which has them sitting at 6th in baseball. They have 418 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .335. The Reds have accounted for 150 doubles as a team and have knocked 88 balls out of the stadium. They have accounted for 403 runs batted in and 729 base knocks on the campaign, while their batting average is sitting at .256. Cincinnati has a slugging rate of .414 and have struck out 748 times, while drawing a walk on 305 occasions.

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The Reds have a team earned run average of 4.98 this season (27th in the league), and their staff has rung up 721 hitters. Reds pitchers have surrendered 114 home runs and 438 total runs (27th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 316 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 4.78 as a squad on the year. Cincinnati has conceded 772 hits (9.3 per 9 innings) as well as 415 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.28 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.45.

Reds pitchers have come into the game with runners on 114 times and also have had 125 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have earned 45 holds this season (11th in MLB). The Reds relievers have a save percentage of 69.8% and stepped onto the hill in 90 save situations. They have accumulated 30 saves this year and have blown 13 out of their 43 chances to save the game. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 160 base runners so far this year with 28.1% of those runners crossed home plate. The Reds have sent 303 relievers to the hill on the season.

The Cincinnati Reds have 2,248 putouts so far this season, in addition to 669 assists and 41 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .986 which puts them in 12th in MLB, and they have turned 61 double plays. The Reds have turned 67.7% of baseballs in play into outs out of 6,744 innings, which ranks them 27th in MLB.

Ashcraft has taken the mound for 180 frames and has accounted for 130 strikeouts thus far in his career. Ashcraft (8-12 win-loss mark in his career) has a FIP of 4.72 while facing 810 hitters during his time in the majors. His ERA is 5.63 (113 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.489. He has surrendered 207 hits (10.3 hits per 9 innings) with 62 walks.

Washington has tallied 68 long balls so far this year and 329 RBIs. They have tallied 147 doubles, while walking 207 times as well as notching 344 runs. The Washington Nationals have recorded an on-base percentage of .317 in addition to a team batting average of .261 for the year. The Nationals hold a team slugging percentage of .396 and they have an average of 4.14 runs per outing (25th in the league). They have struck out on 586 occasions (30th in the league) and have earned a total of 742 hits.

The Nationals have a team WHIP of 1.477 in addition to having a FIP of 4.99 as a team for the season. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 7.70 (624 strikeouts vs 315 bases on balls). They rank 26th in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 763. They have given up 113 dingers and they concede 5.17 runs per 9 innings (26th in MLB). The Washington pitching staff have allowed 419 runs on the season while having an ERA of 4.76 (386 earned runs given up).

With 83 save situations, the Nationals have tallied 44 holds and 16 blown saves. Washington has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 39 save opportunities and they have walked away with 23 saves. Their relievers have come in 87 times in high leverage situations and also on 74 occasions with base runners. Washington relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 32.5% out of their 120 inherited base runners. They are ranked 22nd in baseball with a save percentage of 59.0%, and they have dispatched 257 bullpen pitchers to the mound on the season.

The Washington Nationals have gotten 81 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .983 (23rd in pro baseball). The Nationals have recorded 771 assists, 50 errors and have accounted for 2,191 putouts for the year. Out of their 6,573 innings on the diamond, the Nationals have earned a defensive efficiency of 68.1% (22nd in pro baseball).

Gray (15-18 career win-loss record) has a 4.60 earned run average while surrendering 8.2 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.23 and he has faced 1,365 hitters so far in his pro baseball career. He has given up 161 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.367 and a FIP of 5.5. During his pro baseball career, Gray has allowed 288 base knocks while he has earned 316 strikeouts in 314 innings pitched.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Cincinnati

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