MLB matchup analysis

Reds vs Giants Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Monday, August 24, 2026 at Oracle Park · 9:45 PM ET

Pass

LyDia decision: Pass on Reds vs Giants

Lab Rating
6.4/10
Model lean
Reds 73.5%
Market probability
49.4%
Model edge
+24.1%
Best moneyline
-102
Sportsbooks checked
6
LyDia model
73.5%
Market
49.4%

The case for Cincinnati Reds

Starting pitcher edge: 53 points
LyDia gives Chase Burns a 53-point edge over Carson Whisenhunt, driven mainly by K-BB% (20.3% vs 2.0%) and ERA (2.51 vs 7.03).

The case for San Francisco Giants

The case is thin
The model finds little going San Francisco Giants's way — it trails on the pitching plan, bullpen, and recent form. The main path to a San Francisco Giants win is variance.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 6.4/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 6.2/10
The Cincinnati Reds bullpen comes in tired. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.
Cold stretch at the plate
Cincinnati Reds is -0.032 wOBA below its own season form.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 9.23/10
LyDia's win probability for Cincinnati Reds (73.5%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 20/20
Chase Burns rates 53 points better than Carson Whisenhunt on LyDia's pitcher score. That is a real edge, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Bullpen: 10/20
Cincinnati Reds's bullpen carries a real edge over San Francisco Giants's tonight.
Offense: 24.4/50
Cincinnati Reds's recent form does not clearly outpace San Francisco Giants's.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 40.5%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, LyDia's team-strength model alone makes Cincinnati Reds 40.5% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 53 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Cincinnati Reds by 53 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Net effect: 40.5% -> 73.5%
Team strength alone had Cincinnati Reds at 40.5%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 73.5% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict LyDia passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Game information

MatchupCincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants
DateMonday, August 24, 2026
First pitch9:45 PM ET
VenueOracle Park
Starting pitchersChase Burns vs Carson Whisenhunt
WeatherGame-time forecast: 59°F, 1% precipitation chance, 12 mph wind from W.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Chase BurnsReds · RHP
vs
Carson WhisenhuntGiants · LHP
MetricRedsGiants
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings5⅔4⅔
ThrowsRL
LyDia pitcher score (higher is better)7926
ERA (lower is better)2.517.03
WHIP (lower is better)1.111.84
K/9 (higher is better)10.56.5
K-BB% (higher is better)20.3%2.0%
K% (higher is better)29.0%15.0%
BB% (lower is better)8.8%13.1%
BB/9 (lower is better)3.25.6
HR/9 (lower is better)0.91.4
Ground-ball rate39.8%40.0%
Fly-ball rate60.2%60.0%

Pitcher edge: LyDia gives Chase Burns a 53-point edge over Carson Whisenhunt, driven mainly by K-BB% (20.3% vs 2.0%) and ERA (2.51 vs 7.03).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table. Highlighted cells mark a gap big enough to matter. K% and BB% are strikeout and walk rate as a share of batters faced -- K-BB% is the two combined into one skill number. HR/9 is home runs allowed per nine innings. Ground-ball and fly-ball rate are neither good nor bad on their own: high ground-ball pitchers trade strikeouts for double plays and fewer home runs, and on this data source the two rates are complementary (they add to 100%), not independent reads.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Chase Burns strikeouts
6.7 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · +0.2K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 6.5K · O -104 / U -115 · 6 books
5.0 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · +0.5K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 4.5K · O +105 / U -117 · 6 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Reds are 3-7 in their last 10, averaging 3.7 runs per game over the last 15 days, and hitting below their season form; Giants are 2-8 in their last 10, averaging 3.0 runs per game over the last 15 days, and hitting below their season form. Season run differential separates them by almost nothing (-0.72 against -0.62).

MetricRedsGiants
Last 103-72-8
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)4-6 on the road4-6 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.6210.634
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.2780.283
Runs per game, last 15 days3.73.0
K% last 15 days (lower is better)26.2%25.2%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysRedsGiants
OPS0.661 (-0.038 vs szn)0.652 (-0.057 vs szn)
Runs per game3.79 (-0.306 vs szn)3.67 (-0.356 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.294 (-0.016 vs szn)0.292 (-0.019 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)28.4% (+3.0% vs szn)22.4% (+1.1% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Reds have been the better offense, 0.294 wOBA to 0.292. They are cooling off against their own season line (-0.016 wOBA). Reds are striking out at 28.4% over the window — something the opposing starter can lean on.

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricRedsGiants
Record62-6952-78
Run differential / game (team quality)-0.72-0.62
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.104.02
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)4.824.64
Season OPS0.6990.709
K% season (lower is better)25.4%21.3%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7380.730

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Reds and Giants are highlighted.

Reds
Combined risk
6.2 Tired
Fatigue
6.3 Tired
Efficiency
5.2 Average
Giants
Combined risk
6.2 Tired
Fatigue
7.0 Tired
Efficiency
6.6 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricRedsGiants
Fatigue6.3/10, Tired7.0/10, Tired
Efficiency5.2/10, Average6.6/10, Effective
Combined risk6.2/10, Tired6.2/10, Tired
Relief innings, last 7 days26.728.0
Back-to-back arms66
7-day ERA3.041.61
7-day WHIP1.611.29

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
LyDia projection
5.0
Market total
8.0
Projected away runs
2.5
Projected home runs
2.0
Over price
-107
Under price
-107
Cincinnati Reds team total
2.5 projected
Line 4.5 · O +115 / U -143
Under research lean (-2.0)
San Francisco Giants team total
2.0 projected
Line 2.5 · O -140 / U +119
No team-total lean

The model projects 3.0 runs below the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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