Cincinnati Reds at Washington Nationals, MLB forecast
Win probability
Starts from the pregame forecast, then moves with the score and the time left after each inning. Above the line favors WSH.
Game center
From the ESPN box score.
Top performers
Reds- Gavin LuxBatting4-4, 1 RBI
- Chase BurnsPitching5.2 IP, 5 ER, 10 K
Nationals- Josh BellBatting1-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI
- Brad LordPitching4.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 K
Scoring summary
- 6Adams singled to right, García Jr. scored, Lowe scored and House scored on fielding error by catcher Stephenson, Adams to second.1–6
- 5Abrams doubled to right, Young scored.1–3
- 5Young doubled to center, House scored.1–2
- 4Bell homered to right (388 feet).1–1
- 4Lux singled to center, De La Cruz scored.1–0
The pick
Reconstructed from what was known before the game: the ratings at that point and the closing line.
Reds 55%
Forecast Elo ratings alone
How often that comes true: MLB favorites the forecast gave 55–60% have won 55.5% of 2,596 graded games.
- Market
- CIN 55%
- ML CIN -135 / WSH +115
- Pre-line forecast
- CIN 56%
- Elo + market-implied
- Elo ratings
- CIN 53%
- Ratings vs. market
- −2.2 pts
- CIN: Elo 53.1%, market 55.3%
- Fair odds
- CIN -124
- WSH +124 · the forecast as odds, no margin
- Pregame projection
- CIN 4.5 – 4.0 WSH
- Margin from the forecast, posted total 8.5
How the number is built
Elo inputs in rating points (higher favors that team; 25–28 Elo is about a point of spread in football and basketball), then how the pieces combine.
| Factor | CIN | WSH | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team rating | 1505 | 1449 | Elo entering the game; 1500 is league average |
| Home field | — | +18 | Worth 18 Elo in MLB |
| Starting pitchers | −7 | +9 | CIN: Chase Burns: team allows 0.36 more runs than with its usual starter (≈3 weighted starts) · WSH: Brad Lord: team allows 0.43 fewer runs than with its usual starter (≈5 weighted starts) |
| Elo ratings | CIN +21 Elo | CIN 53.1% | |
| Market-implied ratings | CIN 56.5% | Team strength as past closing lines priced it, same game context | |
| Pre-line forecast | CIN 56.0% | 15% Elo, 85% market-implied (log-odds blend) | |
| Forecast | CIN 55.3% | Follows the market (vig removed): in testing, adding the ratings made it less accurate | |
Tale of the tape
This season coming into the game, regular season, each number with its league rank (the longer the bar, the higher). Home and road: the host's record at home against the visitor's on the road. Opponent Elo: how strong the teams each has played are, 1st the toughest.
| CIN | Stat | WSH |
|---|---|---|
| 11th of 304.6 | Runs scored | 4.317th of 30 |
| 16th of 304.2 | Runs allowed | 5.428th of 30 |
| 12th of 30+0.3 | Margin | −1.128th of 30 |
| 6th of 306–4 | Last 10 | 3–723rd of 30 |
| 16th of 3024–27 | Road vs home | 20–3028th of 30 |
| 23rd of 301497 | Opponent Elo | 15028th of 30 |
| 17th of 301505 | Elo rating | 144927th of 30 |
Rating history
Each team's Elo over the last two seasons. Hover or drag to compare on any date.
Recent form
Last five results, and whether the forecast hit.
Against the line
How each team has done against the closing spread and total, coming into this game.
| This season |  CIN |  WSH |
|---|---|---|
| Run line | 54–47 | 50–50 |
| Last 10 | 6–4 | 4–6 |
| Favorite | 17–30 | 2–18 |
| Underdog | 36–17 | 48–32 |
| Overs–unders | 43–58 | 55–45 |
| Overs–unders, last 10 | 4–6 | 8–2 |
Against each game's closing line. Books set every line knowing these records: across 3,901 past games, the team with the better record against the spread so far that season covered 51.2%, short of the 52.4% a standard −110 bet needs, and over/under streaks held 48.0% of the time. They describe the past.
Head to head
CIN 7–10 WSH in their last 17 meetings; the forecast called 7 of 17.