Mark your calendars for September 20, 2024, as the Pittsburgh Pirates are set to battle the Cincinnati Reds in an exciting MLB matchup at Great American Ball Park, starting at 6:40 PM under scattered clouds.

Mitch Keller will take the hill for the Pirates, entering the game with a solid 3.872 ERA, while the Reds will counter with Nick Martinez, who sports an impressive 3.366 ERA. As the 2024 season progresses within the NL Central Division, the Pirates find themselves in 12th place, boasting a record of 72-81, resulting in a .47 winning percentage. They have maintained a balanced divisional record of 23-23 and have shown reasonable form, winning 5 of their last 10 outings. Currently, they are on a winning streak of one game. Pittsburgh’s home and away performances have been nearly equal, with records of 38-40 and 34-41, respectively. The Pirates have totaled 636 runs scored while allowing 699.

On the opposite side, the Reds are slightly ahead, situated in 11th place with a record of 74-80, reflecting a .48 winning percentage. They’ve won 21 games against their division rivals while losing 25, placing them 4th in the division rankings. The Reds have mirrored the Pirates in recent form, also securing 5 wins in their last 10 games, but are currently on a two-game losing streak. Their performance splits between home (37-41) and away games (37-39) are also closely matched. Offensively, Cincinnati has accumulated 678 runs and surrendered 673 runs.

Now, examining the betting odds, the Pittsburgh Pirates come into this game as slight underdogs with a +106 MoneyLine. The Cincinnati Reds are slight favorites with a -124 MoneyLine. Betting on the spread could be intriguing as it stands at -1.5, and the Over/Under for the game is set at 9.0. This suggests that the bookmakers are expecting a relatively balanced and competitive game, potentially with a fair number of runs scored on both sides.

This matchup promises to be a closely contested affair as both teams vie for a better standing in the NL Central.