Cincinnati Reds vs San Francisco Giants Picks and Predictions August 2nd 2024

From Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, we have the Giants and Reds facing off in an NL matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 7:10 PM ET. NBCS will be televising Friday’s matchup.

On the money line, the Giants are even money (+100), while the Reds come in with a payout of -120. The over/under line is sitting at 9 runs, and Kyle Harrison is starting for the Giants, while the Reds are going with Andrew Abbott. Both teams are 4th in their respective divisions.

San Francisco vs. Cincinnati Key Information

• Teams: Giants at Reds
• Where: Great American Ball Park Cincinnati
• Date: Friday, August 2nd
• Betting Odds CIN -120 | SF +100 O/U 9

The Giants Can Win If…

Left-hander Kyle Harrison gets the start for the Giants today as he faces the Reds on the road. He has made 18 starts this season and has a record of 6-4 with a 3.69 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Harrison has a WHIP of 1.28 and opponents are batting .242 this season. In his 18 starts, he has turned in eight quality starts and is averaging 8.29 strikeouts per nine innings. Harrison’s most recent outing came vs. the Rockies, where he gave up just one earned run in 6 2/3 innings of work. He got the win in that outing.

So far this season, the Giants are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 15th in the league. They have been pretty consistent at home and on the road, averaging 4.4 runs per game at home and 4.3 on the road. As a team, they are batting .244, which is 11th in the MLB, and are 11th in on-base percentage. The Giants have the league’s 21st ranked home run total.

Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman are tied for the team lead in home runs, with 15, and Ramos is also the team’s leading hitter, coming in with a batting average of .289. Chapman is 2nd on the team in RBIs, with 48. Michael Conforto has 10 homers this season but is batting just .223. Looking at recent games, Jorge Soler has been hot, going 11/18 over his last five games.

• The Giants are 6-4 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Giants are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• San Francisco has an over/under record of 4-6 in their last ten games.
• The Giants have an average of 3.4 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Giants are 3-7
• Looking back across the Giants last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• San Francisco has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Giants have averaged 3.7 runs per game on offense

The Reds Can Win If…

Left-hander Andrew Abbott gets the start for the Reds today vs. the Giants. He has made 21 starts this season and has a record of 9-7 with a 3.38 ERA. Abbott’s WHIP for the season is 1.26, and he has turned in eight quality starts. In his 21 appearances, opponents are batting .223. The last time he took the mound, Abbott took the loss, giving up four earned runs in four innings of work. Before that outing, he had gone three straight starts without taking the loss. Abbott has given up at least two homers in three of his last five starts.

Elly De La Cruz comes into the game with a team-high 18 home runs, which is 13th in the league. His 45 RBIs are 3rd on the team. De La Cruz is batting .262 for the season and has an on-base percentage of .349. Spencer Steer is the Reds’ top run producer this season, with 65 RBIs, and his 15 homers are 3rd on the team. However, he is batting just .234 for the year.

Over his last six games, Jeimer Candelario has gone just 3/23, but he does have one home run and three RBIs in that stretch. For the season, he is batting just .227. Santiago Espinal has been hot of late, going 8/14 in his last four games. He also has one home run in this stretch and two RBIs.

• The Reds are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Reds are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• Cincinnati has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Reds have an average of 3.6 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Reds are 5-5
• Looking back across the Reds last five games as the favorite, they are 1-4
• Cincinnati has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Reds have averaged 3.9 runs per game on offense

The Lean

For an over/under pick, our lean is on the over, as this is projected to be the 4th highest-scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we have our lean on the Reds to pick up the win. The Reds have the 5th best team hits projection and 5th best team runs projection. On the other side, Kyle Harrison is 14th among today’s starters in projected strikeouts.

NL Wild-Card Hopefuls Meet as Giants, Reds Open Key Set

In a fiercely competitive National League wild-card race, the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds face off in a crucial series that could shape their playoff dreams. The Reds, with a July record of 13-11, are currently eighth in the wild-card standings. Meanwhile, the Giants are just ahead, sitting in seventh with a slightly better overall record.

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The Reds’ Performance and Challenges

Recent Form

The Reds have had a rollercoaster of a season. They started strong against the Chicago Cubs, winning the first two games but then took a heavy 13-4 loss in the series finale. This inconsistency has been the story of their season.

Nick Lodolo’s Struggles

Nick Lodolo started the season strong but has hit a rough patch lately. In his recent game against the Cubs, he gave up eight runs and 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings. This marked his sixth straight start without a win, even though his slider has been showing some improvement.

Key Players and Injuries

The Reds made some moves, trading away key players like Frankie Montas and Lucas Sims. But they held on to veteran Jonathan India, who remains a critical spark at the top of the lineup. Injuries to young stars Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand have also impacted their performance.

Jonathan India’s Perspective

India is taking a game-by-game approach, emphasizing the need to focus on the present rather than getting overwhelmed by the season’s end goal. This mindset is crucial as the Reds navigate the remaining games.

The Giants’ Situation

Inconsistent Performance

Just like the Reds, the Giants have had their share of ups and downs. Their recent two-game series with Oakland ended in a split, with a narrow 1-0 win in the second game showcasing their strong pitching but also highlighting their offensive struggles.

Logan Webb’s Dominance

Giants ace Logan Webb delivered a stellar complete game shutout against Oakland, allowing just five hits and striking out six. His ability to pitch deep into games has been a major asset for the team.

Offensive Challenges

Despite their strong pitching, the Giants’ offense needs to step up. Brett Wisely’s sacrifice fly that secured their recent win shows the importance of timely hitting to support their pitchers.

Key Matchup: Starting Pitchers

Andrew Abbott for the Reds

Andrew Abbott will start the series opener for the Reds, boasting a 9-7 record and a 3.38 ERA. Although he struggled in his last outing against the Tampa Bay Rays, Abbott has a good track record against the Giants, with a 2-0 record and a 2.76 ERA in three career starts.

Kyle Harrison for the Giants

The Giants will counter with Kyle Harrison, who has been on fire recently. Coming off an 11-strikeout performance against the Colorado Rockies, Harrison has allowed just two runs over his last 17 innings. His previous outings against the Reds have also been solid, with a 2.38 ERA in two starts.

Conclusion

As the Giants and Reds kick off this crucial series, both teams know what’s at stake. With the National League wild-card race tighter than ever, every game matters. Strong pitching, timely hitting, and a focused approach will be key as they battle for those coveted postseason spots.