Reds vs Pirates Odds, Betting Lines, and Probable Pitchers (Sep. 16)

• The Reds and Pirates conclude a three-game set on Thursday afternoon
• Cincinnati is a -145 road favorite
• Find the odds, preview, and prediction below

The Cincinnati Reds (75-71, 37-38 away) wrap up a three-game series on Thursday with the Pittsburgh Pirates (54-91, 34-40 home) at PNC Park. First pitch is set for 12:35 PM ET.

Cincy has won four of the last six against the Bucs, but Pittsburgh has captured back-to-back victories after walking it off on Wednesday in a 5-4 win. The Reds are just 3-7 in their last 10 games but still remain in the thick of the NL Wild Card race. Luke Mahle takes the mound for Cincinnati, while the Pirates hand Connor Overton the ball, who will be making his first MLB start.

Reds vs Pirates Odds

Odds as of September 15th at DraftKings.

Probable Pitchers

The Reds haven’t exactly pitched great as a whole this season, but Mahle has been one of their more consistent arms. The right-hander has gone 11-5 in 29 starts while striking out an impressive 188 hitters in 159.1 innings of work. However, his command has been shaky at times, allowing 56 free passes. In fact, Mahle has given up nine walks across his last three outings. In the 26-year-old’s most recent appearance, he tossed six frames of two-run baseball against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Tyler Mahle has a 1.97 ERA on the road❗️ pic.twitter.com/KcdVSWoOiV

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 11, 2021

Pitching on the road has been a clear strength for Mahle in 2021. He has a stellar 1.97 ERA away from Cincinnati. In comparison, he’s posted a dismal 6.09 ERA at The Great American Ball Park. Even better, he’s got a 2.19 ERA in two starts vs. Pittsburgh this season. With the Wild Card race seriously heating up, the Reds need a quality outing from Mahle against a poor Pirates team who they should beat with ease.

Mahle vs Overton

Overton has strictly been a reliever this season in his rookie year, but he’ll be getting a chance to prove what he can do as a starter on Thursday. He’s made five appearances out of the pen and has looked promising, giving up zero runs. His longest outing was on August 24th against the White Sox, tossing three frames of scoreless ball.

The 28-year-old works with a fastball, slider, and changeup, but none of them are overpowering. In fact, his heater averages just 92.6 mph.

Batting Average vs Starting Pitchers

Following Wednesday’s game, the Reds are now on a four-game losing streak. It couldn’t come at a worse time either as they’re still fighting for a playoff berth. As of right now, Cincy is just one game behind the Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot. St. Louis actually just took two of three from the Reds over the weekend in a very crucial series.

DAD STRENGTH@kFarm17 pic.twitter.com/Sxerqi6x4O

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 16, 2021

Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any easier after leaving Pittsburgh. Cincinnati heads back home for a three-game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who can’t stop winning lately. These last two contests against the Pirates were absolute heartbreakers as well, with both being decided by just one run. Kyle Farmer hit a game-tying homer in the top of the eighth on Wednesday before Wilmer Difo’s heads-up baserunning gave Pittsburgh the victory in the bottom of the ninth.

The Pirates don’t have much to play for at this point except for being a spoiler. They have one of the worst records in the Majors, but the Bucs have done a solid job of ruining the Reds’ postseason hopes in this series.

DIFO DOES IT!#RaiseIt pic.twitter.com/vHtfF25s0S

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 16, 2021

In fact, Pittsburgh takes on Cincy for another three-game set next week then at the start of October they face them again. Nestled in between is a matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies, who are also vying for a Wild Card berth. Needless to say, the Pirates can really kill some dreams in the last couple of weeks. They’ve actually been on a bit of a run as of late, winning four of their last five. If the Bucs can win on Thursday, it would their first series sweep of 2021.

Reds vs Pirates Prediction

Considering just how dominant Mahle has been on the road, it’s extremely tough to bet against the Reds here. Overton may have impressed out of the pen, but this is his first-ever big league start and Cincinnati needs a win badly. I expect them to pull this one out behind Mahle.

Pick: Cincinnati Reds moneyline (-145)