Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Picks and Predictions August 24th 2024

Julian Aguiar will start for the Reds, while the Pirates are sending Jake Woodford to the mound. First pitch from PNC Park is set for 6:40 PM ET. BSOH is carrying this one on TV.

The Reds are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -115 compared to the Pirates at -104. The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs. Cincinnati is 62-67, while the Pirates are 61-67. Pittsburgh is currently on a two-game winning streak, and they are 5th in the NL Central, with the Reds being 4th.

Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh Key Information

Julian Aguiar is taking the mound for the Reds in their road matchup with the Pirates. He started the season with a no-decision against the Blue Jays, going 4 innings and giving up 2 earned runs on 4 hits. Aguiar did give up a home run in that outing.

Elly De La Cruz has been the Reds’ most consistent hitter this season, as he is batting .260 with 22 home runs and 56 RBIs. De La Cruz has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 5/18 with a home run and four runs scored over his last five games. Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario are also among the team’s leaders in home runs, but both are batting under .240 for the season.

As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 14th in the league. They have been slightly better on the road, averaging 4.5 runs per contest. Currently, the Reds are one of the league’s worst hitting teams, with a team batting average of just .231.

Jake Woodford gets the start for the Pirates today and is looking to pick up his first win of the season. So far, he has made five starts and seven total appearances. Woodford’s record for the season is 0-5, and he has an ERA of 6.67. Opposing batters are hitting .282 off Woodford this season, and his ERA at home is 10.31 compared to 0.75 on the road. Woodford’s last outing came on August 18th, where he gave up four earned runs in four innings of work. He took the loss in that outing. The right-hander has given up at least one homer in three straight outings.

So far this season, the Pirates are averaging just 4.1 runs per game, which is 22nd in the league. Their team batting average of .234 is also 18th in the league, and they are near the bottom of the league in terms of home runs and slugging percentage. Pittsburgh’s offense has been led by Bryan Reynolds, who is batting .282 for the season and has a team-high 70 RBIs and 19 homers.

Reynolds is also on a three-game hitting streak, but he has gone just 3/17 in his last five games. Oneil Cruz and Bryan De La Cruz are also on four-game hitting streaks. Bryan De La Cruz is 2nd on the team with 60 RBIs and has 18 homers, while Cruz also has 18 homers and is batting .263.

Today’s Reds and Pirates matchup should feature plenty of offense, as this is projected to be the 3rd highest-scoring game of today’s slate. Our lean would be to take the over, and we are also leaning toward the Reds to pick up the win. Cincinnati comes into this one with our 3rd highest projected run total, and between the two starters, we have Julian Aguiar finishing with more strikeouts than Jake Woodford for the Pirates.

Bryan De La Cruz and the Pirates Seek Momentum Against Reds

Bryan De La Cruz’s excursion with the Pittsburgh Pirates has been one of perseverance and adaptation. After being traded from the Miami Marlins not long in short order, De La Cruz initially battled to track down his cadence at the plate. His early days with the Pirates were marked by a batting average of just .118 (4-for-34), a far cry from the impact hitter the team had expected.

Be that as it may, in ongoing games, De La Cruz has started to make something happen. Over his past 10 games, he’s hit a great .351 (13-for-37), showing flashes of the power and consistency that made him a sought-after player at the trade deadline. His new performance has been a significant lift for the Pirates as they hope to climb the standings in the National League Central.

Thinking about his initial battles, De La Cruz acknowledged the strain he felt after being traded. “I attempted to do a lot of because when you get traded and you hit 18 homers, that’s a tad of tension because they traded for a person that they know can hit grand slams,” De La Cruz shared through a translator. In spite of the unpleasant start, his perseverance and center are currently paying off.

Impactful Performances Leading to Wins

De La Cruz’s contributions have been crucial in Pittsburgh’s recent victories. In Friday’s game, the Pirates found themselves in a challenging situation, trailing by five runs. However, De La Cruz stepped up when it mattered most. He went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, helping the Pirates to mount a comeback and secure a 6-5 win. His double in the fifth inning drove in Joey Bart, getting the Pirates on the scoreboard. Later, his sacrifice fly in the sixth brought Bart home again, delivering the winning run.

The previous night, De La Cruz was even more dominant, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs in a 7-0 shutout victory against the Cincinnati Reds. His recent surge has lifted his season batting average to .244, and he continues to be a key player for the Pirates during this crucial stretch of the season.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton praised De La Cruz’s resilience, saying, “He went through a tough stretch, but … even going back to the second game in Texas where he had the two-out base hit, that’s six, seven RBIs (in four games).” Shelton’s confidence in De La Cruz is evident, as the outfielder is proving to be a valuable asset for the team.

Pirates’ Determination to Finish Strong

The Pirates’ new achievement — winning three of their last four games — has set them in a situation to move out of last place in the National League Central potentially. While their playoff chances remain thin, with an eight-game gap and several teams to defeat for the final trump card spot, the Pirates are not surrendering. Their emphasis is on completing the season solid and gathering speed for what’s in store.

“Packing it in is not in our dictionary,” pitcher Bailey Falter stated, capturing the team’s resilient spirit. “We’re always battling no matter what … so we’re just trying to finish the year strong, and I feel like we’re doing pretty well right now.” This determination is evident in the way the Pirates have been playing, with each game bringing them closer to their goal.

Challenges on the Mound: Woodford’s Opportunity

On Saturday, the Pirates will send Jake Woodford to the mound, hoping he can help the team continue their winning ways. Woodford, who has had a tough season with a 0-5 record and a 6.67 ERA, is looking to bounce back after a rough outing in his last start. He allowed seven runs (five earned) over four innings in a 10-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners, but he’s determined to turn things around against the Reds.

Woodford’s history against Cincinnati hasn’t been stellar, with a 0-2 record and a 5.70 ERA in 12 career appearances (two starts). However, this start presents an opportunity for him to rewrite that narrative and contribute to the Pirates’ push.

Reds Face Uphill Battle Amid Injuries

On the opposite side, the Cincinnati Reds are dealing with their own arrangement of challenges. Their postseason trusts are also thin, and they’re presently battling with wounds, particularly to their starting rotation. The latest blow came with Andrew Abbott being placed on the harmed list because of a left shoulder strain. This adds to the absence of key pitchers like Tracker Greene and Graham Ashcraft, leaving the Reds’ contributing staff a precarious position.

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Second baseman Jonathan India communicated the team’s frustration: “A great deal of stuff conflicting with us at this moment. We’re not catching fire, and folks have been harmed. The game’s not rewarding us at the present time.” In spite of these setbacks, the not set in stone to continue to battle, however the path ahead is challenging.

The Reds have yet to announce their starting pitcher for Saturday’s game, following a warm up area heavy approach on Friday. Catcher Tyler Stephenson emphasized the importance of strength: “Wounds are part of this game, and they (smell). It damages to lose a few critical parts of this team. We’ve recently got to continue to play, and we realize that these folks will be back soon.”

As the Pirates and Reds face off in this pivotal series, the two teams are driven by the craving to complete the season on a high note, with Bryan De La Cruz and Jake Woodford aiming to lead the way for Pittsburgh.