On Wednesday, the third game in a four-game series between the Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds will take place at Great American Ball Park.
The Marlins (46-51) have struggled as of late but are currently 4.5 games back from an NL Wildcard position. The Reds (37-59) have been a disappointment thus far and are currently last in the NL Central, and look like sellers at the trade deadline.
Lefty Braxton Garrett will start for the Fish, and the Reds’ ace Luis Castillo will take the hill on Wednesday. Sportsbooks opened with the home team Cincinnati Reds, as the -132 favorite, while the visiting Miami Marlins will be +100 underdogs.
Marlins Look to Make Push For NL Wildcard
The Marlins had high hopes for the season, but outside of the pitching of their two young arms, they have struggled. Miami Marlins are one of the worst hitting teams in all of Major League Baseball. The pitching has been average, allowing 4.32 runs per game.
Braxton Garrett will get the nod in this game. The right hander is 2-3, with a 3.42 earned run average in his last nine starts. The last time he made a start, he was great against the Pirates, lasting six innings and allowing just one run.
Averaging less than 4.1 runs per game, the Marlins’ offensive output has not been very strong so far, but they will look to change things in the second half.
They currently have a team batting average of .238 and ranked 24th in runs and 27th in OPS. All-Star Jazz Chisholm leads the club in home runs and RBIs.
Reds Undefeated In Castillo’s Last Four Starts
After having a historically poor start, the Reds haven’t had much to play for since April and will look to sell off key contributors before the deadline. The offense has performed admirably, roughly in line with league average.
They are rated 15th with an average of 4.52 runs per game, 17th in team batting average, and 21st in OPS. Their top player, leading the team in batting average, home runs, and RBIs, has been Brandon Drury, who will surely be dealt at the trade deadline.
Cincinnati’s pitching has been a complete trainwreck so far in the first half, conceding an average of 5.54 runs per game this season, the second worst in the league. They are ranked 29th in OPS and 26th in home runs and opposition batting average allowed.
With a terrific 2.77 ERA and a 3-4 record, Luis Castillo has been a notable bright spot for the Reds. In his final start, he faced a potent Yankee lineup and pitched seven innings of one-run ball while giving up just two hits and eight strikeouts. With Castillo on the hill, the Reds are 4-0 on his last four starts.
Free Betting Pick
Both teams have had trouble establishing themselves this year, with the Marlins clinging to the fringes of the NL wildcard chase and the Reds wallowing in a lost year.
The Reds, however, are the team in a better position right now despite having a far inferior record. The Cincinnati Reds are 7-2 in their last nine home games and are 4-0 with Castillo on the mound in his last four starts.
Additionally, over their last six games at Great American Ball Park, they have averaged a solid 6.5 runs per game. Expect them to pounce on Garrett and give Luis Castillo, who seems to have regained his form from last season, a nice cushion.
Betting Pick: Reds ML (-132)
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