Pirates vs. Reds Prediction, Odds, Probable Pitchers, Prop Bets for Wednesday, April 1

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is looking to rebound from an awful 2026 debut where he was chased in the first inning by the New York Mets.

Now, Skenes takes on a Cincinnati Reds team that he didn’t allow a run against in two appearances in the 2025 season.

Cincy will counter with lefty Andrew Abbott, who shut down the Boston Red Sox in his first start of the 2026 season, though he came away with a no-decision.

Oddsmakers aren’t worried about Skenes’ poor debut, as the Pirates are still heavily favored on the road in this matchup. Last season, Pittsburgh was 17-15 in the NL Cy Young Award winner’s starts.

Let’s take a look at the latest odds, a player prop to consider and my prediction for this NL Central battle on Wednesday afternoon.

Pirates vs. Reds Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Run Line

Pirates -1.5 (+102)
Reds +1.5 (-122)

Moneyline

Pirates: -168
Reds: +139

Total

7.5 (Over +102/Under -122)

Pirates vs. Reds Probable Pitchers

Pittsburgh: Paul Skenes (0-1, 67.50 ERA)
Cincinnati: Andrew Abbott (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Pirates vs. Reds How to Watch

Date: Wednesday, April 1
Time: 12:40 p.m. EST
Venue: Great American Ball Park
How to Watch (TV): MLB.TV/Reds.TV
Pirates record: 2-3
Reds record: 3-2

Pirates vs. Reds Best MLB Prop Bet

Pirates Best MLB Prop Bet

Paul Skenes OVER 7.5 Strikeouts (+102)

Last season, Skenes had 12 starts with eight or more strikeouts, clearing this prop once against the Reds.

Cincy has gotten off to a slow start at the dish, ranking 23rd in the league in K’s per game (10.4) and 21st in OPS.

Even though Skenes struggled in the opener against New York, he did pick up a strikeout as one of the two outs that he recorded. I’m expecting a bounce-back showing from the righty, and he should be able to push the Reds towards their season average in K’s, especially if he pitches into the sixth inning. Skenes struck out eight or more batters in nine of the 21 starts where he completed at least six innings of work.

Pirates vs. Reds Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in SI Betting’s MLB Best Bets column – Walk-Off Wagers – why I’m trusting both pitchers:

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was rocked in his 2026 debut by the New York Mets and failed to get through a single inning.

I’m targeting him as a bounce-back candidate on Wednesday in a battle with the Cincinnati Reds, who are in the bottom 10 in MLB in OPS this season.

However, I’m taking a complete UNDER in the first five innings, as the Reds have lefty Andrew Abbott on the mound, and he held Boston scoreless through six frames in his 2026 debut.

Last season, Skenes pitched 12 scoreless innings in two outings against the Reds, and he finished the regular season with a 2.36 ERA. So, last week’s struggles on Opening Day aren’t going to be the norm for him in any way going forward.

Abbott also had a strong 2025 season, posting a 2.87 ERA for the Reds while earning the first All-Star nod of his career. These aces should be able to keep this game relatively low-scoring before handing things off to the bullpens.

Pick: First 5 Innings UNDER 4.5 Runs (-180 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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