Cincinnati Reds vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/22/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cincinnati Reds vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Thursday, August 22, 2024

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates (59-66) will compete against the Cincinnati Reds (61-65) at PNC Park on Thursday. The pitchers who are expected to start are Nick Lodolo and Paul Skenes.

As a team, the Cincinnati Reds are putting up 4.4 runs per contest, which has them at 14th in MLB. They have notched a total of 555 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .302. The Reds have recorded 208 doubles as a team and have knocked 148 balls out of the park. They have 526 runs batted in in addition to 952 hits this season, and their team batting average is at .230. Cincinnati has a slugging percentage of .399 and have struck out 1,139 times, while taking a walk on 376 occasions.

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The Reds have a team earned run average of 4.00 over the course of the season (16th in MLB), and their staff has rung up 1,071 batters. Reds pitchers have relinquished 142 long balls in addition to 529 runs (12th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 382 hitters and their FIP is 4.13 as a unit this year. Cincinnati has conceded 1,005 hits (8.1 per 9 innings) and 494 earned runs. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.80 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.25.

The Reds have dispatched 410 relief pitchers to the mound on the season. The relievers have inherited 170 base runners on the year and 28.8% of those players ended up crossing the plate. They have recorded 26 saves for the year and have blown 9 out of their 35 save opportunities. The Reds relievers have a save percentage of 74.3% and has come into the game in 105 save situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 68 holds so far this year (14th in MLB). Reds relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 107 times and also have had 111 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Cincinnati Reds are sitting with 3,332 putouts on the year, as well as 959 assists and 79 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .982 which has them ranked 29th in MLB, and have earned 75 double plays. The Reds have transformed 70.0% of baseballs in play into outs out of 9,996 innings, which has them sitting at 16th in professional baseball.

Lodolo (15-13 career record) has earned a FIP of 4.37 while going up against 1,079 batters in the majors. He has allowed 239 base knocks (8.7 hits per nine innings) and has had 83 free passes. His ERA is 4.44 (122 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.302. Lodolo has taken the hill for 247 innings and has earned 291 punch outs during his MLB career.

Pittsburgh has 124 home runs this season to go along with 499 RBIs. They have notched 181 two-baggers, while taking a walk 375 times as well as earning 518 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have recorded a team OBP of .301 in addition to a team batting average of .234 this season. The Pirates hold a team SLG% of .371 and they average 4.14 runs per contest (22nd in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 1,163 occasions (4th in the league) and have earned 994 base knocks.

The Pirates hold a team WHIP of 1.279 and have a FIP of 4.03 as a pitching staff over the course of the season. They are currently ranked 21st in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 1,050. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have given up 546 runs so far this year and come in with a team ERA of 3.95 (489 earned runs relinquished). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.40 (1,037 strikeouts against 376 walks). They have allowed 132 HR's and they relinquish 4.41 runs per 9 innings (16th in the league).

With 115 save situations, the Pirates have compiled 60 holds and 24 blown saves. Pittsburgh has called on relievers to enter the game in 54 save chances and they have recorded 30 saves. Their relievers have taken the field 136 times in high leverage situations and also on 99 occasions with runners on base. Pittsburgh bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 32.2% out of their 143 inherited base runners. They are currently ranked 27th in MLB with a save rate of 55.6%, and they have sent 380 relievers onto the diamond over the course of the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 104 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .985 (18th in MLB). The Pirates have recorded 1,067 assists, 67 errors and have earned 3,345 putouts for the year. Out of their 10,035 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have a defensive efficiency of 69.3% (22nd in the majors).

During his career, Skenes has allowed 71 hits while he has totaled 121 punch outs in 98 innings pitched. He has given up a total of 25 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 0.969 and a FIP of 2.3. He has a K/BB ratio of 5.04 and he has faced 381 batters in his pro baseball career. Skenes (7-2 career mark) has earned a 2.30 ERA and has surrendered 6.5 hits per 9 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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