Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds Picks and Prediction for Monday March 30 2026
Use Code WWWC We have an early-season NL Central battle in this Reds vs. Pirates prediction. Pittsburgh (1-2) took the final game in their series at the NY Mets, winning 4-3 on Sunday after losing the first two games. Cincinnati (2-1) took two of three games against Boston at home. In the last 10 games between these teams, Pittsburgh has taken six of them. Check out more free baseball picks and predictions on Monday.
Lowe leads Pirates over Mets
Brandon Lowe hit two home runs in his first two at-bats on opening day against the Mets in a loss. Then on Sunday, he hit a solo shot in the third inning to break a 1-1 tie as the Pirates took Game 3, 4-3 on Sunday. Carmen Miodzinski went 4.1 innings, striking out eight and allowing two runs. The Pirates' bullpen did the job the rest of the way, allowing just three hits and one run to help earn their first one.
Pittsburgh is expected to send Braxton Ashcraft to the mound on Monday. With Jared Jones (elbow) sidelined, Ashcraft is getting the nod. The 26-year-old was mainly a reliever last season, starting just eight games and going 4-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 60.2 innings. He allowed just 63 hits and three homers with 71 strikeouts and 24 walks. On the road, he was 1-2 with a 2.45 ERA.
Reds hold Boston to just seven runs in their last two games
Cincinnati won the last two games of its home series against Boston, 6-5 on Saturday and 3-2 on Sunday. In their 3-2 win on Sunday, Rhett Lowder threw five innings, allowing just three hits and two runs to help hold the Red Sox. Brock Burke got the win with 1.1 innings pitched and one hit allowed. Eugenio Saurez picked up his first home run, a three-run shot in the bottom of the fifth to lead the Reds to win the win.
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Elly De La Cruz (6-6, 200) is the star of the Reds. He's off to a 2-for-12 start with one home run, but last season, he had 22 homers, 86 RBIs and 37 steals with a .264 batting average (.440 slug). Chase Burns is expected to get the start. He was 0-3 with a 4.57 ERA last season in eight starts wth 41 hits allowed and five homers in 43.1 innings. He threw eight innings against the Pirates, allowing just one run in one start (the other was as a reliever).
Spread Pick and Odds for Pirates vs. Reds
Pirates vs. Reds Prediction and Picks
- Cincinnati -124 (4 units)
The Pirates were nearly swept by the Mets, but part of the problem is that if they don't win with Paul Skenes on the mound, who went 2/3 of an inning on opening day, they are usually an underdog. Ashcraft is also another former reliever who will be on a pitch count. He wasn't bad last season, but when he met the Reds, in two starts, he gave up 11 hits and two walks in 7.2 innings. The yhits .333 against him and he was fortunate to give up just three runs. De La Cruz is going to break out at some point, and you have Ke'Bryan Hayes, who has two hits against him in three at-bats.
Over/Under Pick on Pirates vs. Reds
- Under 8 (4 units)
After scoring seven runs on a windy opening day in New York, Pittsburgh scored just six runs in its next two games. Cincinnati has gone under in two of their three games. They allowed just 10 runs in three games against the Red Sox, a pretty good hitting team. In last season's three games in Cincinnati in September, the Pirates were held to nine runs in three days, while the Reds had just seven. Both pitchers are pretty solid and should do so solid jobs in their first starts.
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