Pittsburgh Pirates @ Cincinnati Reds - June 26, 2024

As a former sports statistician turned data analyst, I can’t help but get excited about breaking down the numbers for this upcoming MLB game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds. Both teams have shown some promising stats, but when looking at the overall picture, it seems like the Pirates might have the edge in this matchup.

Let’s start with the pitching duel on hand. The Reds are sending Graham Ashcraft to the mound, who has a decent 4-3 win-loss record and a 3.9 ERA. On the other side, we have Luis L. Ortiz for the Pirates with a slightly better 3-2 win-loss record and a 4.1 ERA. Both pitchers have identical strikeout rates of 8.4 per game, so it could be a close battle on the mound.

When we shift our focus to batting, both teams are putting up similar numbers per game. The Reds are averaging 4.2 runs, 7.4 hits, and almost 4 RBIs with a .221 batting average and a solid .665 slugging percentage. Meanwhile, the Pirates are not far behind with 4 runs, 7.8 hits, and around 3.9 RBIs per game along with a .222 batting average and a .639 slugging percentage.

Considering all these stats and my analysis of the trends, I predict that the Pittsburgh Pirates will come out on top in this game against the Cincinnati Reds. The over/under is expected to be surpassed as both teams have been producing runs consistently.

While it may be a close contest given their similar offensive output and pitching performances so far this season, I believe that the Pirates will be able to capitalize on their slight advantage in key areas to secure the win.

As always in baseball, anything can happen on any given day, but if history is any indication of future performance based on these statistics, my money would be on the Pittsburgh Pirates taking home the victory tonight. Let’s see how it all plays out on the field!