Washington Nationals vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 5/14/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: Reds.TV

Odds/Point Spread: Washington (+162) Cincinnati (-196)

The Washington Nationals (20-22) are headed to Great American Ball Park on Thursday where they will meet the Cincinnati Reds (22-20). The odds on this game have the Nationals at +162 and the Reds are opening at -196. The over/under comes in at 8. The expected starting pitchers are Foster Griffin and Chase Burns.

As a squad, the Washington Nationals are notching 5.4 runs/g, which has them sitting at 2nd in baseball. They have earned 227 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .325. The Nationals have hit 78 doubles as a team and have hit 50 baseballs out of the park. They have amassed 213 runs batted in and 352 base knocks on the year, and their average at the plate sits at .244. Washington has a slugging percentage of .411 and have been called out on strikes 358 times, while being walked on 155 occasions.

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The Nationals hold a team ERA of 4.77 on the season (28th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 318 batters. Nationals pitchers have conceded 59 home runs and 234 runs in total (29th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 161 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.95 as a unit this season. Washington has yielded 375 base hits (9.0 per 9 innings) and 200 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 1.98 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.42.

Nationals relief pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 41 times in addition to having 45 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have earned 22 holds so far this season (20th in baseball). The Nationals relievers have earned a save rate of 45.5% and have come into the game in 48 save situations. They have tallied 10 saves on the campaign and have blown 12 of their 22 chances to save the game. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 61 base runners on the year and 44.3% of them ended up scoring. The Nationals have sent 139 relief pitchers to the mound for the year.

The Nationals have converted 69.2% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 3,393 innings, which has them ranked 23rd in pro baseball. The Washington Nationals have amassed 1,131 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 392 assists and 41 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .974 which puts them in 30th in the majors, and they have turned 29 double plays.

Griffin has thrown 54 innings and has 47 K's so far in his career. His earned run average is 2.82 (17 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.107. He has surrendered 40 base hits (6.6 hits per nine innings) and has had 20 free passes. Griffin (5-1 career win-loss mark) has earned a FIP of 2.78 while he has gone up against 228 batters in the majors.

Cincinnati has accounted for 53 HRs on the campaign and 156 RBIs. They have 56 two-baggers, while taking a walk 163 times as well as earning 168 runs. The Cincinnati Reds have tallied a team on-base percentage of .305 in addition to a team batting average of .220 on the year. The Reds hold a slugging percentage of .379 and they tally 4.00 runs per contest (26th in MLB). They have been called out on strikes on 388 instances (5th in the league) and have tallied 308 base knocks.

The Reds have a team WHIP of 1.482 in addition to having a FIP of 4.94 as a team on the campaign. They are sitting at 24th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 361. The Cincinnati pitching staff have surrendered 207 runs over the course of the season while holding a team ERA of 4.65 (194 earned runs relinquished). Their K/BB ratio is 7.70 (322 strikeouts against 195 bases on balls). They have surrendered 53 home runs and they surrender 4.97 runs per 9 innings (24th in baseball).

Sitting with 48 save situations, the Reds have 28 holds and 8 blown saves. Cincinnati has had relief pitchers enter the game in 19 save opportunities and they have converted 11 saves. Cincinnati bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 27.3% out of 66 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 53 times in high leverage situations and on 48 occasions with base runners. They are ranked 21st in baseball holding a save percentage of 57.9%, and they have dispatched 158 relief pitchers onto the diamond for the season.

Out of their 3,378 innings played, the Reds have earned a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (17th in baseball). The Cincinnati Reds have gotten 42 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .990 (6th in pro baseball). The Reds have accrued 364 assists, 15 errors and have a tally of 1,126 putouts on the campaign.

Burns (4-4 career mark) has a 3.30 ERA while surrendering 7.4 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 3.59 and he has faced 372 opposing batters in his MLB career. He has given up 33 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.176 and having a FIP of 3.2. Thus far in his career, Burns has given up 74 hits while tallying 115 strikeouts in 90 frames.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Cincinnati (-196)

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