Cincinnati Reds vs. Washington Nationals Betting Preview
The Cincinnati Reds are set to face the Washington Nationals tonight. The Reds will start Graham Ashcraft, while Josiah Gray will pitch for the Nationals. The Cincinnati Reds are favored with a line of -130 on the road, and the total for the game is set at 9.5 runs.
When analyzing this matchup, it’s hard to overlook the dominance of the Cincinnati Reds. However, Ashcraft hasn’t been as consistent as expected. Despite the initial hype surrounding him, his performance has been lackluster. In his 28 starts last season, he allowed a significant number of home runs, and his numbers have been even worse this year.
On the other hand, Josiah Gray has been impressive, delivering strong performances against formidable lineups in his recent starts. With the Nationals playing at home, they’ll be looking to bounce back after leaving numerous runners on base yesterday.
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Considering Ashcraft’s struggles, Washington may find an opportunity to put runs on the board against him. From a betting perspective, the over seems enticing, and early on, it’s likely that Josiah Gray will outperform Ashcraft, giving the Nationals an advantage.
Taking a closer look at Ashcraft, although he is a right-handed pitcher, he has struggled against left-handed batters in the last 30 days. He has given up a high ISO (isolated power) of .400 and a weighted on-base percentage (wOBA) of .541 against lefties. This indicates the damage left-handed hitters can inflict upon him. With the Nationals potentially fielding a lineup consisting of five to six left-handed batters, this could contribute to a higher-scoring game.
One player to watch is Lane Thomas, who consistently has produced for the Nationals. As a top-of-the-lineup hitter, Thomas possesses power and speed.
Overall, this promises to be an exciting game to watch, but it isn’t easy to bet against the Reds, who are currently holding onto first place in their division. The Nationals will need to bring their best to challenge the Reds and pull off a victory.
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