The Pittsburgh Pirates (52-88) and Cincinnati Reds (56-83) prepare to face off in a doubleheader on Tuesday.
Teams’ Previous Scoreboards
The Pirates won Game 1 of this four-game series by a final score of 6-3 on Monday. They will aim to clinch a split of the series at the very least by winning at least one of their two scheduled games on Tuesday. Overall, they are 2-3 over the course of their past five games.
Cincinnati is now in the midst of a three-game losing streak. The Reds continue to struggle mightily this season. They will aim to rebound on Tuesday at home against the Pirates.
The first pitch of Game 1 will be at 12:35 PM EST. Game 2’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM EST. Let’s take a look at the Pirates vs. Reds predictions and odds.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds Odds Breakdown
Neither the Pirates nor the Reds are going to be favored by a heavy amount in this one. But the Reds have a slight advantage, given their home-field status. But the Pirates have played better as of late.
These may wind up being a couple of competitive games. Sure, not much is on the line, given their placement at the bottom of the MLB standings.
But they are fairly evenly matched teams which could lead to some exciting contests in Cincinnati. Let’s take a closer look at the Pirates vs. Reds predictions.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview
Game 1 Starting Pitchers:
Johan Oviedo (2-2, 3.90) will go head-to-head against Luis Cessa (3-2, 4.97) in this Reds and Pirates game today. Game 1 projects to be a competitive affair between these ball clubs.
Oviedo has been the better of the two pitchers. But Cessa has a high ceiling and should not face much trouble against the lowly Pirates lineup.
It will be interesting to see how long both managers allow their starters to work. They would prefer that both of them work deeper into the game in order to rest the bullpen for Game 2.
Game 2 Starting Pitchers:
And speaking of Game 2, Luis Ortiz is the scheduled pitcher for Pittsburgh. Cincinnati has yet to announce their starting pitcher.
Ortiz will be making his first start of the season. Given the Reds stats on offense, he may be able to perform well.
Pirates vs. Reds Picks and Predictions
As aforementioned, there is not much on the line in these games. But MLB player stats are still important, so there will be motivation for both sides to play hard. Additionally, there is a bit of a rivalry between the Reds and Pirates.
But which team should you place your money on? Let’s take a closer look at each side’s stats before officially sharing our Pirates vs. Reds predictions.
Pirates vs. Reds Batting Average
The Pirates offense is extremely underwhelming. They are 29th in batting average, 29th in OBP, 27th in slugging percentage, 19th in home runs, and 28th in total runs scored.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati is 16th in batting average, 22nd in OBP, 21st in slugging percentage, 18th in home runs, and 18th in runs scored.
Pirates vs. Reds Teams’ ERA
Pitching-wise, the Pirates rank 26th in team ERA, 27th in WHIP, ninth in home runs surrendered, and 27th in batting average. The Reds are 28th in team ERA, 26th in WHIP, 28th in home runs allowed, and 25th in batting average against.
The Reds and Pirates are almost equally lackluster on the mound. But the Reds do hold a slight advantage, given their offensive numbers. Their offense has not been good, but it has produced better results than the Pirates.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds Doubleheader Betting Pick
Betting on Game 2 will be difficult since the Pirates are starting a pitcher who hasn’t taken the mound at the big league level in 2022, and the Reds haven’t announced a starter yet.
Game 1 should be exciting, with a couple of young and interesting pitchers on the bump. However, the ceiling of Luis Cessa could lead to a strong effort. Take the Reds in Game 1.
The odds of a doubleheader sweep are slim, given the Reds overall struggles. So go ahead and roll with the Pirates in Game 2.
Game 1 Pick: Reds (TBD)
Game 2 Pick: Pirates (TBD)
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