On Friday evening at Nationals Park, the Cincinnati Reds will face off against the Washington Nationals, with the first pitch slated for 6:45 PM ET. As the two teams prepare to square off, each looks to break free from their respective slumps with pivotal performances from their starting pitchers.
Team Standings and Records
The Cincinnati Reds, currently holding a 47-50 record, find themselves in 4th place in the NL Central, trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by eight games. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals sport a 44-53 record and occupy 4th place in the NL East, lagging 18.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.
Despite their records, the Reds are favored to win this matchup. The Nationals, marked as underdogs with a +105 line, still have a projected 62% chance of securing a victory, highlighting the unpredictable nature of this game.
Starting Pitchers
Frankie Montas takes the mound for the Reds. With a 4-7 record and a 4.38 ERA over 17 starts this season, Montas has shown flashes of brilliance but has struggled with consistency. In his last outing against the Rockies, he surrendered five earned runs over seven innings, a performance he hopes to improve upon in this game.
Opposing Montas will be Patrick Corbin for the Nationals. Corbin has had a challenging season, posting a 4-9 record with a 5.57 ERA across 19 starts. Notably, Corbin has given up at least one home run in each of his last four outings. However, he demonstrated his potential for dominance on June 24th, when he pitched seven scoreless innings. Corbin is projected to finish with five strikeouts in the game, a stat that could be crucial for the Nationals.
Recent Performances
The Reds come into this game with a 4-1 record over their previous five away games. However, they lost their last encounter against the Marlins, falling 3-2. In that game, Nick Lodolo gave up two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings, while Elly De La Cruz provided an early spark with a home run in the first inning.
On the other hand, the Nationals have struggled at home, posting a 2-3 record over their last five games. They also lost their previous game against the Brewers with a lopsided 9-3 score. Jake Irvin gave up six earned runs in four innings during that contest. Despite their recent struggles, the Nationals did manage to win two out of three games in their most recent series against the Brewers.
Offensive and Defensive Metrics
The Reds are averaging 4.5 runs per game, placing them 14th in the league. Their batting average of .231 ranks 17th in on-base percentage, and they are 25th in strikeouts, highlighting some areas for improvement. Spencer Steer has been a pivotal player for the Reds, driving in 60 runs and hitting 15 homers, making him 10th best in RBIs in the MLB.
Meanwhile, the Nationals average 4.1 runs per game, ranking 23rd in the league, though they slightly improve at home with an average of 4.2 runs per game. Their batting average stands at .239, allowing them to rank 13th in on-base percentage. C.J. Abrams has been a standout for the Nationals with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs. However, he has been in a slump recently, going just 3/21 in his last five games.
Betting and Run Lines
The over/under for the game is set at nine runs. When the over/under is set at nine, the Reds have a 2-16-3 record, while the Nationals are 7-7-2 under similar conditions. The Reds have had notable success on the run line, with a 53-44 record overall and an impressive 30-14 performance on the road. The Nationals hold a 46-34 record against the run line as underdogs.
Injuries
Both teams will miss key players in this game. For the Reds, Joey Gallo, Luke Maile, and Matt McLain will be absent. The Nationals will be without Trevor Williams, Josiah Gray, and the aforementioned C.J. Abrams.
As the Reds and Nationals prepare for what promises to be an engaging matchup, both teams will look for standout performances to steer their seasons back on track. With both Montas and Corbin looking to improve on inconsistent seasons, fans can expect a high-stakes game on Friday night.