Somehow, Cincinnati remains alive in a crowded National League wildcard race. If the Reds have any hope of catching the Mets, a win tonight would certainly help. That could prove difficult on the road against one of their oldest rivals, the Cardinals. St. Louis is all but officially eliminated. Still, this group has enough talent to play spoiler. Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Tuesday’s meeting between the Reds and the Cardinals.
Cincinnati is favored (-122) over St. Louis, with the over/under set at eight runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Reds vs. Cardinals prediction, preview
It was a triumphant Monday for the Reds, who earned a commanding 11-6 victory. They’ll look to keep the good times rolling tonight with staff ace Andrew Abbott on the mound. Through 151.2 innings of work, the All-Star has notched a 2.79 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 136 strikeouts. He’s allowed more than two runs in just seven of his 26 starts thus far (27%). Two of those outings came against the Cardinals. Over Abbott’s last five meetings with St. Louis, he’s recorded a 1.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 21 strikeouts.
Regardless of which pitcher is starting, this Cardinals offense cannot be trusted. Since August 1st, the club has scored 165 total runs, baseball’s sixth-lowest mark during that time. The absence of shortstop Masyn Winn (knee) only makes things that much harder for this lineup. If there’s any reason for hope, St. Louis does hit better against lefties compared to right-handed pitching. Still, Abbott’s recent dominance in this spot doesn’t bode well for the home team.
Toeing the slab for the Cards will be Michael McGreevy. The 25-year-old has been decent, albeit unimpressive, during his brief two-year career. Through 14 appearances this season, he’s posted a 4.44 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 47 strikeouts. McGreevy’s best attributes are solid command (3.6 BB%) and avoiding home runs (0.9 HR/9). However, a lack of swing-and-miss stuff means opponents make contact frequently. That can make trusting the right-hander somewhat difficult on a nightly basis. He did allow one run over six innings against the Reds on August 30th. With that being said, McGreevy has been far worse at home (6.07 ERA) than on the road (2.50).
Reds vs. Cardinals pick, best bet
Best Bet: Reds ML (-122)
It was tempting to go with McGreevy and the Cardinals as home dogs. However, Cincinnati comes into this one with a far more reliable arm on the mound. Following Monday’s offensive outburst, I’m expecting more fireworks from Elly De La Cruz and company tonight.
