Julian Aguiar and the Reds (63-70) will host the Athletics (58-75) today in Cincinnati, and the Reds are favored on the money line (-134). Oakland will be looking to extend their three-game winning streak, and they are 4th in the AL West. Today’s forecast in Cincinnati calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 90s.
The over/under line for Thursday’s interleague matchup is sitting at 10 runs, and the game can be seen on BSOH. First pitch from Great American Ball Park is set for 5:10 PM ET. J.T. Ginn is slated to start for the Athletics.
Surging Athletics Look to Extend Winning Streak Against Reds with Ginn on the Mound
The Athletics are 58-75 overall and trail the Astros by 13 games in the AL West. Oakland has won three straight games, and these wins have come after going 2-8 over their previous 10 games. So far, they are 16-20 in divisional games. At home, the Athletics are 33-35 this year and have gone 25-40 on the road. As the underdog, the Athletics are 47-71 this year, and they are 11-4 when favored. Oakland’s overall series record is 16-22-4, and they have won two straight series on the road.
When it comes to the run line, the A’s have been a solid bet this season. They are 72-61 overall and 35-30 on the road. They have covered the run line in three straight games and are 66-52 as an underdog. Their average run margin in winning games is +3.4, while it’s -3.6 in losses. The A’s are on the road today against the Reds, and the over/under line for the game is set at 10 runs, which is higher than their average combined run average of 8.6 runs per game. J.T. Ginn is making his first start of the season for the Athletics, and he has yet to factor into a decision. In his first outing, he went 2 innings and struck out 3, and in his last outing, he went 1 2/3 innings and allowed 1 run.
Reds Look to Break Series Slump as Aguiar Makes First Home Start Against A’s
The Reds are 63-70 overall and 13.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. They are 19-20 in divisional games and 32-32 as the favorite. Today, they are 0-2 in the series vs. the Athletics and 16-23-3 in series this season. Cincinnati is 31-36 at home and 32-34 on the road. The over/under line for today’s game is set at 10 runs, and the Reds are 1-1 this season when the line is set at 10 runs.
Julian Aguiar will be making his first start of the season at home against the A’s. So far, he’s gone 6 innings and picked up a win and gone 4 innings in a no-decision. The Reds are 29-38 on the run line at home, and their average run margin is -0.3. Offensively, they are 15th in scoring, averaging 4.5 runs per game. Elly De La Cruz is hitting .364 over his last 8 games, and Tyler Stephenson is on a 12-game hitting streak.
Reds Favored in Tight Matchup: Value Bets and Player Props to Watch
Given that the Reds are at -134 to win this one straight up, we see this as a great value pick. We actually have the Reds winning by a score of 6-5, which means you could also look to take the over, as the line is sitting at 10 runs.
Looking at some of the player props, Julian Aguiar is predicted to finish with six strikeouts, which would have him as the fifth-best starter in terms of K’s today. As for the Athletics, they are projected to finish with just eight hits, which is the third-lowest in the league today.
