Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction, 5/18/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024

Location: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Odds/Point Spread: Cincinnati (+158) Los Angeles (-188)

The Cincinnati Reds (19-25) are hitting the road to Dodger Stadium on Saturday where they will attempt to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers (29-17). The line on this matchup has the Reds at +158 and the Dodgers are sitting at -188. The over/under is 8.5. The starting pitchers are Graham Ashcraft and Walker Buehler.

Cincinnati is slugging .363 and have struck out 411 times, while being walked on 148 occasions. They have accounted for 178 RBI's as well as 316 hits on the campaign, while their batting average comes in at .220. The Reds have accrued 67 doubles as a team and have knocked 41 balls out of the park. They have a total of 190 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .300. As a squad, the Cincinnati Reds are recording 4.3 runs/g, which has them at 15th in the league.

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The Reds have an earned run average of 3.95 this year (14th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 386 hitters. Reds pitchers have surrendered 47 long balls and also 188 total runs (14th in MLB). They have walked 142 opposing batters and their FIP comes in at 3.99 as a team so far this year. Cincinnati has yielded 344 base hits (8.0 per 9 innings) and 170 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.72 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.26.

The Reds have sent 140 relievers to the hill for the season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 64 base runners on the season and 26.6% of them ended up crossing the plate. They have compiled 7 saves over the course of the season and have blown 3 of their 10 save opportunities. The Reds relievers have accumulated a save percentage of 70.0% and has entered the game in 34 save situations. The relievers have accumulated 23 holds so far this season (16th in the league). Reds pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 37 times in addition to having 43 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Reds have converted 70.3% of balls hit into play into outs out of 3,483 innings, ranking them 14th in pro baseball. The Cincinnati Reds have accumulated 1,161 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 308 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .984 which is 14th in MLB, and have accumulated 22 double plays.

Ashcraft has taken the hill for 294 innings and has 217 K's in his MLB career. Ashcraft (15-17 mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 4.70 while he has faced 1,281 hitters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 4.71 (154 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.400. He has allowed 315 hits (9.6 hits per 9 innings) with 97 walks.

Los Angeles has knocked in 59 home runs this year as well as 232 RBIs. They have 86 doubles, while walking 190 times and putting up 239 runs. The Los Angeles Dodgers have compiled a team on-base percentage of .342 in addition to a team batting average of .260 on the year. The Dodgers have a team slugging percentage of .436 and they average 5.20 runs per contest (2nd in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 396 occasions (8th in the league) and have recorded 408 base hits.

The Dodgers have a team WHIP of 1.118 with a FIP of 3.82 as a squad on the campaign. Their K/BB ratio sits at 8.40 (385 strikeouts against 137 bases on balls). They rank 7th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 325. They have allowed 46 long balls and they concede 3.55 runs per 9 innings (2nd in the league). The Los Angeles pitching staff have given up 163 runs so far this season while having a team ERA of 3.25 (149 earned runs surrendered).

Los Angeles has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 19 save chances and they have walked away with 14 saves. They rank 6th in baseball holding a save rate of 73.7%, and they have dispatched 142 relievers to the hill this year. Their relievers have come in 44 times in high leverage situations in addition to 28 occasions with runners on base. Los Angeles bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 31.4% out of their 35 inherited base runners. Sitting with 47 save situations, the Dodgers have amassed 28 holds and 5 blown saves.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten 29 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .989 (4th in professional baseball). The Dodgers have recorded 412 assists, 18 errors and have notched a total of 1,240 putouts this season. In 3,720 innings on the field, the Dodgers have a defensive efficiency of 73.6% (1st in pro baseball).

In his career, Buehler has given up 510 hits while earning 696 punch outs in 645 innings pitched. Buehler (46-17 record in his career) has a 3.07 earned run average and has allowed 7.1 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed a total of 220 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.044 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.3. His strikeout to walk ratio is 4.24 and he has gone up against 2,594 hitters in his career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cincinnati (+158)

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