Reds vs Astros Prediction & Best Bet (June 16): Pitchers Shine at Minute Maid Park

The Cincinnati Reds put their five-game winning streak on the line when they begin a three-game series with the Houston Astros on Friday, June 16. There hasn’t been a Reds vs Astros series since 2019, which saw Cincinnati sweeping Houston in three games. Will this series’ result be the same?

Reds win, America wins. #ATOBTTR pic.twitter.com/bs81J38nbp

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 15, 2023

The Reds were last in action Thursday night, notching a 7-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals to win their fifth straight game. Cincinnati’s bats put on a memorable performance as four different Reds hit home runs.

Meanwhile, the Astros are coming off last night’s 4-1 loss to the Washington Nationals in extra innings. Houston did a good job at limiting Washington’s offense for the majority of the game until the Nationals exploded with three runs in the top of the ninth inning to seal the deal.

Can the Reds find a way to keep the wins coming? Or will the Astros be the ones to put an end to their opponent’s run?

Here’s a look at everything you know heading into tonight’s Reds vs Astros showdown, from the latest betting odds to a prediction with the best betting recommendation, courtesy of Betting News.

Cincinnati Reds vs Houston Astros Game Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Cincinnati Reds (34-35, 17-17 Away) vs. Houston Astros (39-30, 20-15 Home)
• Venue & Location: Minute Maid Park (Houston, Texas)
• Date: Friday, June 16, 2023
• Game Time: 8:10 p.m. Eastern Time
• Reds vs Astros TV Info: MLB Extra Innings, Bally Sports Ohio, AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Reds vs Astros Odds

Game odds as of Friday, June 16 at 8:46 a.m. ET. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Cincinnati Reds +1.5 (-125)
• Houston Astros -1.5 (+104)

Over/Under

• Over 8.5 Runs (-115)
• Under 8.5 Runs (-105)

Moneyline

• Cincinnati Reds +164
• Houston Astros -196

Reds vs Astros Starting Pitchers

• Reds: Andrew Abbott (2 starts — 2-0, 0.00 ERA)
• Astros: J.P. France (7 starts —2-1, 3.54 ERA)

Reds vs Astros Betting Trends

• Cincinnati is 10-2 straight up in its last 12 road games.
• Houston is 3-9 straight up in its last 12 home games against Cincinnati.
• The total has hit the over in five of Cincinnati’s last seven games against the AL West.
• The total has hit the under in four of Houston’s last five games against the NL.
• The total has hit the under in five of the last six Cincinnati-Houston matchups.

Reds vs Astros Game Preview

The Reds have a chance to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 9 if they can win tonight. Even though they’re the underdog in tonight’s matchup, they still have momentum on their side.

As mentioned before, the Reds are on a five-game winning streak ahead of their meeting with the Astros. They’ve done a good job at limiting the opposition’s offense during that run, holding them to an average of 3.8 runs per game.

On top of that, the Reds have won 10 of their last 12 road games, scoring at least seven runs on six different occasions. Speaking of road success, Cincinnati has also won nine of its previous 12 trips to Minute Maid Park, outscoring Houston by an average of 2.3 runs per contest.

The bad news for the Astros is that they haven’t been great recently. They’ve been on the losing end in six of their past nine games, being held to two or fewer runs five times during that span.

Final (10): Nationals 4, #Astros 1

— Houston Astros (@astros) June 16, 2023

Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott looks to keep the Astros’ attack quiet. The top prospect has been phenomenal since his promotion earlier this month, going 2-0 without allowing a run on six hits over 11 2/3 innings in two starts.

At the same time, the Astros have found success against left-handed pitchers, going 12-7 against them thus far. Furthermore, when it comes to facing southpaws, Houston has racked up 20 home runs (T-No. 12 in MLB), 62 walks (No. 10), and a .435 slugging percentage (No. 8).

Even with the Astros knowing how to take advantage of lefties, they still need their own starter — J.P. France — to perform well. The rookie arm has also been reliable, going 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.279 WHIP in seven starts. Cincinnati has a losing record against righties (20-26), leaving time to tell if that trend continues.

Reds vs Astros Prediction and Picks

Reds vs Astros Prediction: Astros 4, Reds 3

Reds vs Astros: Reds +1.5 (Best Value: -125 ) & Under 8.5 Total Runs (Best Value: -105)

I’m taking the Astros to win this game. Even though the Reds are the hotter team, their last five wins have come against the Royals and St. Louis Cardinals, who have a combined winning percentage of 32.8%. Houston is much better than those clubs and will bring Cincinnati back to reality.

Having said that, the Reds have played well on the road, so I don’t see the Astros winning this by more than one run.

For another Reds vs Astros bet, let’s take the under on the 8.5-run total. After all, under is 5-1 in the last six meetings between these teams, seeing an average of 6.3 runs scored over that stretch. With how well Abbott and France have been pitching, I don’t see a ton of fireworks in the cards tonight.

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