Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves April 12 Betting Preview

The Cincinnati Reds (4-6) will take on the Atlanta Braves (8-4) in the final game of a three-game set on Wednesday evening. The Braves have won the first two games of the series by just two total runs and will seek the sweep with Spencer Strider taking the mound against Hunter Greene. 

The first pitch is scheduled for 7:20 PM from Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. The Braves are favored (-1.5) at home, with the total currently sitting at 7.5, which is also where it opened. 

Cincinnati Reds Team Overview

The Reds have gotten off to a slow start, and much of that can be attributed to their pitching staff. Cincinnati is currently 19th in the MLB in team ERA at 4.70 while ranking 26th in the league in walks and hits per innings pitched at 1.52. Their defense has also not helped out their pitching staff thus far, ranking 19th in the league in errors per game with 0.60.

The offense is starting to come alive over the last three contests, scoring over 5.3 runs per game, but Cincinnati’s 4.5 runs per game over the course of the season still ranks 17th in Major League Baseball. 

First baseman Jason Vosler has shown nice power to start the season with a trio of home runs and nine runs batted in, but his .188 average and .212 on-base percentage is not something you want to see from your middle-of-the-order hitter. He is striking out 33% of the time as well, showing that he is an all-or-nothing type hitter.

Atlanta Braves Team Overview

The Atlanta Braves find themselves in first place early on in the season as they continue to write the book on how to rebuild effectively and quickly. Atlanta is a well-balanced squad that currently ranks in the top half of the majors with 4.83 runs per contest while posting a top-ten team earned run average at 3.92. 

While some prognosticators like to delve into the more advanced metrics, sometimes the simplest reason for a team's success is the most telling. This roster is deep with established talent in terms of both the lineup and the pitching staff. Matt Olsen has done a tremendous job in his now one-plus seasons as Freddie Freeman’s replacement, and the farm system has produced a ton of talent that makes this team a contender for the pennant. 

The Expectation

To put it plainly, Reds youngster Hunter Greene has not pitched well this season. In eight innings pitched the 23-year-old has allowed five earned runs and walked six batters though he has struck out 13.

On the opposite side, Spencer Strider has shown nice swing-and-miss pitches this season, with 19 strikeouts through his first 11 innings pitched. His six walks are concerning as he has walked three in both starts so far this but the Reds lineup doesn’t have the potency of the Padres, and his offense should be able to cover up any mistakes he makes on Wednesday.