Washington Nationals vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 3/31/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

The Washington Nationals (71-91 last year) are traveling to Great American Ball Park on Sunday where they will go up against the Cincinnati Reds (82-80 last season). The men taking the mound will be Jake Irvin and Nick Martínez.

The Nationals tallied 279 doubles as a unit and knocked 151 balls out of the stadium. Washington had a slugging % of .396 and were called out on strikes 1,149 times, while taking a walk on 423 occasions. As a unit, the Washington Nationals put up 4.3 runs per contest, which was 21st in the league. They recorded 665 runs batted in in addition to 1,401 hits over the course of last season, and their average at the plate was .254. They earned 700 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .314.

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Their K/BB ratio was 2.07 and their pitching staff had a team WHIP of 1.47. Nationals pitchers gave up 245 long balls in addition to 845 runs (27th in the league). Washington allowed 1,512 hits (9.5 per 9 innings) and also 797 earned runs. The Nationals compiled a team ERA of 5.02 for the prior year (27th in baseball), and the staff rung up 1,225 batters. They walked 592 opposing players and their FIP was 5.15 as a squad over the course of last year.

The Nationals had dispatched 526 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of last season. The bullpen inherited 248 runners last season and 34.3% of those players ended up crossing the plate. They earned 42 saves over the course of the prior season and blew 27 of their 69 save opportunities. The Nationals relief pitchers compiled a save rate of 60.9% and entered the game in 144 save situations. The bullpen earned 75 holds during the previous year (24th in the league). Nationals relief pitchers went to the mound with runners on base 156 times in addition to having 162 games in high leverage situations.

The Washington Nationals finished with 4,285 putouts for the prior year, in addition to 1,505 assists and 90 errors. Their fielding percentage finished at .985 which had them sitting 17th in the majors, and they turned 158 double plays. The Nationals transformed 68.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of 12,855 innings, which had them ranked 24th in professional baseball.

Irvin (3-7 win-loss record in his career) holds a FIP of 5.30 while he has faced 530 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has conceded 118 base knocks (8.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 54 walks. His ERA is 4.61 (62 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.421. Irvin has thrown 121 innings and has 99 punch outs so far in his career.

The Cincinnati Reds accumulated an OBP of .327 as well as a batting average of .249 last season. They were called out on strikes on 1,500 occasions (5th in baseball) and tallied 1,371 base knocks. Cincinnati hit 198 home runs during the previous year to go along with 747 RBIs. The Reds had a SLG% of .420 and they were scoring 4.83 runs per game (9th in the league). They hit 268 doubles, while taking a walk 556 times as well as scoring 783 runs.

The Reds finished with a team WHIP of 1.417 and had a FIP of 4.79 as a squad in the prior season. They were ranked 25th in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,426. The Cincinnati pitching staff yielded 821 runs over the course of the prior season while having an ERA of 4.83 (772 earned runs conceded). Their K/BB ratio sat at 8.60 (1,381 strikeouts against 613 free passes). They gave up 222 dingers and they relinquished 5.13 runs per 9 innings (23rd in the league).

With 175 save situations, the Reds tallied 90 holds and 26 blown saves. Cincinnati called on relievers to enter the game in 79 save chances and they walked away with 53 saves. Their relief pitchers came in 241 times in high leverage situations and on 223 occasions with base runners. Cincinnati relievers held an inherited score rate of 30.6% out of 327 inherited runners. They were ranked 8th in MLB holding a save rate of 67.1%, and they sent 605 relievers onto the diamond last season.

The Cincinnati Reds turned 125 double plays and had a fielding rate of .984 (22nd in baseball). The Reds racked up 1,283 assists, 91 errors and are sitting with 4,318 putouts in the prior season. Out of their 12,954 innings on the diamond, the Reds held a defensive efficiency of 68.5% (20th in the majors).

Martinez (27-38 win-loss mark in his career) has a 4.31 ERA and has allowed 9.2 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.91 and he has faced 2,734 batters in his pro baseball career. He has surrendered a total of 303 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.389 and being the owner of a FIP of 5.0. In his pro baseball career, Martinez has given up 649 base knocks while totaling 438 punch outs in 632 innings pitched.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cincinnati

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