Reds vs. Pirates Friday Prediction
National League Central rivals will meet at PNC Park this weekend when the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Cincinnati Reds. Is the betting total for Friday night’s matchup set too high?
Game Snapshot & Odds
901 Cincinnati Reds (+141) at 902 Pittsburgh Pirates (-151); 9 runs
Friday, June 15, 2018
7:05 p.m. ET, PNC Park
TV: CIN (FSO); PIT (ATTP)
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Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Pirates as a -151 favorite. As of this writing, 64% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Pirates to beat the Reds on the moneyline. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Reds’ Harvey gets blasted by Cardinals in last start
Matt Harvey was hit hard for five runs in six innings and was lucky to escape with a no-decision against the Cardinals on Friday. He allowed just four hits but three of them sailed over the wall. Jose Martinez got him twice and Yairo Munoz got him once. Harvey struck out five and walked three in the rough outing. He showed signs of turning his miserable season around when he was first traded to the Reds but this was his third poor start in a row. He is 1-4 with a 5.97 ERA and 1.40 WHIP combined between the Mets and Reds this year.
Pirates’ Kuhl labors through last start vs. Cubs
Chad Kuhl needed 111 pitches to get through 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs in Friday’s loss to the Cubs. The 111 pitches were a career high for Kuhl, who struck out six but permitted eight hits and two walks while also hitting a batter. It sums up Kuhl’s season so far in a nutshell, as he’s missed a good number of bats but has sometimes struggled with control and pitching deep into games. He takes on the Diamondbacks on the road next
MLB Betting Trends
Cincinnati
The Reds have dropped five of their last six games versus the Pirates at PNC Park.
Pittsburgh
The Pirates are 4-1 in Kuhl’s last five home starts and are 6-1 in his last seven home outings versus an opponent that owns a losing record.
Prediction:
The pitching matchup will entice plenty of bettors to take the over but I still see value in the under. The under is 6-2-1 in the Reds’ last nine games following an off day and has cashed in 15 of their last 22 road games when facing a right-handed starter. On the other side, the under is 4-0 in Kuhl’s last four starts and is 4-0-1 in his last five outings when facing the rest of the National League Central.
The Pick: Reds/Pirates under 9