Washington Nationals vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 3/28/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: MASN

Odds/Point Spread: Washington (+145) Cincinnati (-175)

The Washington Nationals (71-91 last year) are hitting the road to Great American Ball Park on Thursday where they will attempt to defeat the Cincinnati Reds (82-80 last season). The odds on this game have the Nationals at +145 and the Reds are priced at -175. The betting total is set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Josiah Gray and Frankie Montas.

The Nationals accumulated 279 two-baggers as a unit and smacked 151 baseballs out of the park. Washington had a slugging percentage of .396 and struck out 1,149 times, while taking a walk on 423 occasions. As a team, the Washington Nationals scored 4.3 runs per outing, which had them at 21st in the league. They compiled 665 RBI's in addition to 1,401 base knocks last season, and their batting average finished at .254. They notched a total of 700 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .314.

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The Nationals held a team ERA of 5.02 last season (27th in the league), and the staff rung up 1,225 batters. Nationals pitchers conceded 245 long balls and 845 total runs (27th in the league). They walked 592 batters and their FIP finished at 5.15 as a team over the course of last year. Washington conceded 1,512 base hits (9.5 per 9 innings) and also 797 earned runs. They earned a K/BB ratio of 2.07 and their pitching staff finished with a WHIP of 1.47.

Nationals pitchers went to the mound with runners on base 156 times as well as having 162 games in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers recorded 75 holds in the prior season (24th in the league). The Nationals relievers recorded a save rate of 60.9% and entered the game in 144 save situations. They accumulated 42 saves over the course of the prior season and missed out on 27 out of their 69 save opportunities. The bullpen inherited 248 runners over the course of the prior season with 34.3% of those runners earned a run for their team. The Nationals sent 526 relief pitchers to the hill last year.

The Nationals converted 68.2% of balls in play into outs out of 12,855 innings on the diamond, which had them sitting 24th in pro baseball. The Washington Nationals accumulated 4,285 putouts during the previous year, in addition to 1,505 assists and 90 errors. Their fielding percentage was at .985 which had them sitting 17th in professional baseball, and accumulated 158 double plays.

Gray (17-25 career record) has earned a FIP of 5.50 while going up against 1,654 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has allowed 351 hits (8.3 hits per 9 innings) and has 179 free passes. His earned run average is 4.64 (195 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.401. Gray has thrown 378 frames and has totaled 373 K's during his pro baseball career.

Cincinnati was sitting with 198 long balls for the previous season to go along with 747 RBIs. They recorded 268 doubles, while taking a walk 556 times and racking up 783 runs. The Cincinnati Reds tallied an on-base percentage of .327 and a team batting average of .249 over the course of last season. The Reds held a slugging percentage of .420 and they tallied 4.83 runs per outing (9th in baseball). They were called out on strikes on 1,500 occasions (5th in baseball) and had a total of 1,371 base hits.

The Reds had a team WHIP of 1.417 and had a FIP of 4.79 as a pitching staff for the previous season. They earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.60 (1,381 strikeouts vs 613 bases on balls). They finished at 25th in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,426. They relinquished 222 long balls and they relinquished 5.13 runs per 9 innings (23rd in MLB). The Cincinnati pitching staff allowed 821 runs last season while having an ERA of 4.83 (772 earned runs yielded).

Cincinnati called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 79 save opportunities and they earned 53 saves. They ranked 8th in the league with a save rate of 67.1%, and they sent 605 bullpen pitchers to the hill last year. Their bullpen pitchers stepped onto the mound 241 times in high leverage situations in addition to 223 occasions with runners on. Cincinnati bullpen pitchers had an inherited score percentage of 30.6% out of their 327 inherited runners. Ending the season with 175 save situations, the Reds recorded 90 holds in addition to 26 blown saves.

The Cincinnati Reds turned 125 double plays and held a fielding percentage of .984 (22nd in baseball). The Reds recorded 1,283 assists, 91 errors and notched a total of 4,318 putouts for the previous season. In their 12,954 innings on the field, the Reds earned a defensive efficiency of 68.5% (20th in baseball).

Montas (37-35 career record) has earned a 3.90 earned run average while allowing 8.7 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.11 and he has gone up against 2,525 batters in his MLB career. He has allowed 257 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.294 and having a FIP of 3.8. During his career, Montas has conceded 571 base knocks while earning 612 strikeouts in 593 innings pitched.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Washington (+145)

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