Reds vs. Giants Prediction, Odds and Best Bets: Aug. 24th Picks

The Cincinnati Reds (62-69) meet the San Francisco Giants (52-78) at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Monday night for the first of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed or streamed on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).

These teams met way back in mid-April, with the Reds taking two victories in three games at Great American Ball Park. The Under cashed in two of three games, and the underdog cashed in two of those games, too.

Inside Reds vs. Giants Bet Picks Tonight

Cincinnati has managed a 30-33 record on the road, while posting a minus-94 run differential. Despite all of that, the Reds still have a pulse, as far as the wild-card in the National League is concerned. Cincinnati is nine games back of the San Diego Padres for that final wild-card spot with 31 games remaining. So, the clock is certainly ticking, and time isn’t on Cincinnati’s side.

San Francisco is 18.5 games out of the final card spot, it has lost four in a row, and while the Giants aren’t officially eliminated from postseason contention, it’s all but a certainty that they won’t be making it to the playoffs.

The Reds turn to RHP Chase Burns (14-2, 2.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP), and he’ll be opposed by Giants LHP Carson Whisenhunt (3-4, 7.03 ERA, 1.84 WHIP). So, in other words, there is a giant pitching disparity, and it’s actually a bit surprising that Cincinnati isn’t favored by much more.

Burns is 4-1 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 38 ⅓ IP in the past seven starts, and he is 9-1 in his past 15 starts, striking out 104 batters in just 83 IP during the span. He has a 1.18 WHIP, too, so he has been amazingly consistent.

Burns took a no-decision against the Giants at GABP on April 16, allowing just two hits and a walk in six scoreless innings in a 3-0 loss, striking out four batters in the 87-pitch quality start.

Whisenhunt had his start pushed to Monday, after initially being penciled in to start Sunday in Boston. Managed Tony Vitello gave him an extra day of rest to comport himself. He allowed a career-high six earned runs (seven runs) and nine hits with two walks in just four innings in Cleveland last Tuesday.

The Reds are just 13-17 vs. LHP this season, but they should be able to handle the Giants rather easily with the very giving Whisenhunt on the bump. Meanwhile, Burns is tied for the fourth-shortest odds (+6000) for the National League Cy Young award.

Let’s back Burns to get the job done, so take CINCINNATI (-162) as moderate favorites, and feel comfortable betting it all the way up to -180. And, surprisingly, the Over is 4-1 in the past five starts by Burns, as the offense really supports him. That should continue against the shaky Whisenhunt. Go OVER 7.5 (-108) on the total, and expect the Reds to most of the heavy lifting.