Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds 4/1/23 – On Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates make the journey to Ohio to face off against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Both teams had disappointing seasons last year, each losing over 60% of their games and finishing 31 games behind the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals. MLB betting sites predict Pittsburgh Pirates to come out on top in this matchup.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds
Date & Time: Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 4:10 PM ET
Location: Great American Ball Park
TV: MLB.TV
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds 4/1/23 Betting Odds
Pirates
Moneyline: +105
Spread: +1.5 (-204)
Total: 8.5 over (-116)
Reds
Moneyline: -132
Spread: -1.5 (+142)
Total: 8.5 under (-109)
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Analysis
Pittsburgh’s offense finished near the bottom of the MLB in several key offensive categories, such as batting average, OPS and runs scored. They did show some promise though; ranking 14th overall with 89 stolen bases. Their pitching staff wasn’t much better, ranking 27th in WHIP and OBA. During the offseason, however, the Pittsburgh Pirates added two veteran bats in OF Andrew McCutchen and 1B Carlos Santana via free agency; both are expected to be starters when play begins this season. They signed free agent first baseman Ji-man Choi, who hit 0.239 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI for Tampa Bay last season. Furthermore, they added starting pitcher Rich Hill via free agency to their starting rotation. Hill, the oldest active player in MLB, went 8-7 with a 4.27 ERA for the Red Sox last season. Reinforcements may be on their way as many of Pittsburgh’s top prospects are close to major league action – including catcher Endy Rodriguez who hit 25 home runs in the minors last year.
Last season, Cincinnati’s offense suffered through injuries and ranked low in several hitting categories such as batting average, OPS and slugging percentage. Their pitching staff was among the worst in the league at 26th WHIP, 28th ERA and 22nd OBA; their bullpen couldn’t keep up either, ranking 29th. This offseason the Cincinnati Reds made some moves but nothing that is guaranteed to improve things much; they signed former Padre 1b/OF Wil Myers who has shown power before and traded for Pirate SS Kevin Newman; both players project to be part of their starting lineup this season. Additionally, 2022 had its share of injuries with 66 players used during game play – unfortunately for them it may still be needed by then!
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Against the Spread
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh’s last 6 games. Pittsburgh are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games. Pittsburgh is 8-0 SU in their last 8 games against Cincinnati. The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh’s last 7 games on the road. Pittsburgh are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati. The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 games against an opponent in the National League.
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Cincinnati’s last 19 games. Cincinnati are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games. Cincinnati are 4-10 SU in their last 14 games at home. Cincinnati are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh. The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati’s last 5 games played in April. The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cincinnati’s last 6 games played on a Saturday.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Free Pick
During the 2022 season, the Pirates defeated the Reds 12 times and covered the run line six out of seven times. Without significant upgrades made during the offseason to stop them from continuing their success at home, expect another slow start from the Reds this year as they continue their rebuild according to MLB betting trends.
Free Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 (-204)
