The suddenly rollicking Cincinnati Reds, winners of eight of their last 10, will look to get back to .500 for the first time since April 9 as they head south to kick off a weekend series with the Houston Astros. First pitch for Friday’s opener from Minute Maid Park is set for 8:10 p.m. ET. It’ll be a battle of rookies on the mound, as top prospect Andrew Abbott (2-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his third career start for Cincy against young Astros righty J.P. France (2-1, 3.54).
Houston enters as a -165 favorite on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Reds check in at +140. The run total is set at 8.5.
Reds-Astros picks: Friday, June 16
Injury report
Reds
Out: OF Jake Fraley (wrist), SP Graham Ashcraft (calf), RP Derek Law (elbow), 3B/OF Nick Senzel (knee), 1B/OF Wil Myers (shoulder), SP Nick Lodolo (calf), 1B Joey Votto (shoulder)
Astros
Out: OF/DH Yordan Alvarez (oblique), OF Michael Brantley (shoulder), SP Jose Urquidy (shoulder)
Starting pitchers
Andrew Abbott vs. J.P. France
After lighting up the Minors over the first two months of the season, Abbott earned his call to the Majors a couple of weeks ago and has absolutely looked the part over his first two starts. He’s still yet to allow a run at the MLB level, spinning 11.2 shutout innings and notching two wins against the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. Command has continued to be an issue for the young lefty — he’s walked seven batters over those two outings, and he hasn’t spotted his fastball or changeup the way he did in the Minors this year — which will surely lead to growing points at some point. Still, he boasts a polished arsenal, and his future appears very bright.
France doesn’t have nearly Abbott’s prospect pedigree, but he’s been a life-saver for an Astros rotation that’s dealt with injuries to Jose Urquidy, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. He spun 6.2 innings of three-run ball against the Cleveland Guardians last time out, and has allowed one or fewer runs in four of his first seven MLB starts. He doesn’t have the most electric stuff, but he spots all of his pitches well, forcing weak contact and chewing up innings.
Over/Under pick
Abbott’s top-line numbers look great, but he’s gotten a bit lucky over his first two starts, and I think he could crash back to Earth a bit tonight against an Astros lineup that’s posted a 127 wRC+ against lefties since Jose Altuve returned from injury on May 19. Houston has put up at least five runs in four of their last six, even without Yordan Alvarez, and with phenom Elly De La Cruz pacing a resurgent Reds offense — Cincy has averaged 5.5 runs per game over their last nine — I think we hit this over easily.
Pick: Over 8.5
Moneyline pick
I’m a bit wary of Abbott facing easily his toughest test yet in the Majors — the lefty’s command has been all over the place, and this Astros lineup is the type that can make you pay for that in a hurry. France has been providing at least five or six decent innings on a regular basis, and if he can at least keep the Reds at bay a bit, I think Houston picks up a win in the series opener.
Pick: Astros
