Giants vs. Reds prediction and odds for Wednesday, July 19 (Does Cincy snap streak?)

The Cincinnati Reds have dropped six straight games and are now 2.5 games out of first place in the NL Central.

The team has cooled off at the dish, ranking 22nd in Major League Baseball in OPS over the last 15 days, but it has a chance to turn that around against the San Francisco Giants.

San Francisco is just 1.5 games out of the lead in the NL West, but it has a struggling starter in Ross Stripling (0-2, 6.11 ERA) on the mound in this game. 

He takes on Graham Ashcraft (4-7, 5.95 ERA) who seems to have gotten past the worst part of his season. After a brutal stretch from May into June, Ashcraft has allowed just one earned run in each of his last three starts. 

Let’s break down the odds for this matchup with the Reds set as slight home dogs: 

Giants vs. Reds odds, run line and total

Giants vs. Reds prediction and pick

Ashcraft was an auto fade during his rough stretch, but he’s pitched to a 1.45 ERA in 18.2 innings since June 30. 

He may not keep up that pace (his FIP is over 4.00 in that stretch), but he’s looked a lot more like the pitcher who posted a 2.00 ERA through his first six starts of the 2023 campaign. 

Stripling, on the other hand, has struggled all season long, lowering his ERA below 7.00 when he returned from the injured list in late June. He’s only going to pitch a few innings (hasn’t gone past the fifth since returning) which means the Giants’ bullpen will be counted on in this one.

Cincy is in the midst of a brutal stretch, but Stripling may be just what this offense needs to get back on track. The Giants are just 3-10 in Stripling’s 13 outings this season, while Cincy’s only loss over Ashcraft’s last three starts was a 1-0 defeat. 

I’ll take a shot on the Reds to snap their losing streak tonight. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.