Diamondbacks Need Wins to Keep Pace in Wildcard Race

The Major League Baseball calendar on Wednesday is highlighted by National League play when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Cincinnati Reds. The current line on top sportsbooks has Arizona favored at -160, Cincinnati on +150 and the over/under run total on 9.

Entering the game, Arizona on the season is 54-39 overall and 21-24 on the road. The Diamondbacks are 2-8 in their last 10 games played. Cincinnati on the season is 39-54 overall and 23-25 at home. The Reds are 3-7 in their last 10 games played.

Arizona will be playing after one of this season’s biggest outbursts on offense and looks to keep their bats knocking in runs as a new addition to the team arrives.

Veteran J.D. Martinez, an outfielder, was acquired on Tuesday by the team from Detroit and is expected to join Arizona for either Wednesday’s game or the latest on Thursday.

Arizona sent three players in the minor leaguers to Detroit for Martinez with the hopes of adding a run producing bat to the lineup that struggled during a recent losing streak of five straight games before Tuesday’s 11-2 rout of the Reds in which Arizona had nine hits for extra bases.

Torey Lovullo the Arizona manager said the team was excited to have Martinez join them as he is a strong hitter with a great deal confidence.

Cincinnati has been struggling to score runs and keep their opponents off the board. The Reds have lost five straight following the All-Star break being outscored in those games 46-14. Cincinnati is expected to make some trades including moving Zack Cozart its All-Star shortstop.

Arizona will send Zack Greinke to the mound on Wednesday. The Diamondbacks right-hander is 11-4 with an ERA of 2.86. Cincinnati will counter with Tim Adelman. The Reds right-hander is 5-7 with an ERA of 4.99.

Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has a career high hitting streak on the road of 16 straight games and during his current hitting streak overall of 10 straight games has 12 hits in 37 at bats including 2 home runs.

Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto has 12 hits in his last 32 at bats including 3 home runs against Arizona’s Greinke.

Arizona is 1-5 in its last 6 games played.

Cincinnati is 5-18 in its last 23 games versus opponents from the NL West.

Prediction: Arizona is just too much for Cincinnati, look for another lopsided offensive explosion by the D-backs.