Cardinals vs. Reds Prediction
A trip to Cincinnati to take on the lowly Reds was just the thing the Cardinals needed to jumpstart their bats. With the National League Central rivals will square off again on Friday evening, what’s the best play on the board for bettors?
Game Snapshot & Odds
953 St. Louis Cardinals at 954 Cincinnati Reds
Friday, April 13, 2018
6:40 p.m. ET, Great American Ball Park
TV: FSMW (STL); FSO (CIN)
Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook YouWager currently list the Cardinals as a -153 favorite. As of this writing, 72% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Cardinals to beat the Reds on the moneyline. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Several Cardinals have big days with the bat on Thursday night
Jose Martinez finished 4-for-5 with a home run and six RBI as the Cardinals crushed the Reds 13-4 on Thursday. Both the four-hit game and the six-RBI contest were career-highs in a single game for Martinez. He’s now slashing .364/.442/.614 in 13 games.
Catcher Yadier Molina also had himself a day, going 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. It was his fourth of the season, tying him with teammate Paul DeJong, who also homered on Thursday. Molina is hitting .271/.280/.542 through 12 games this season.
Finally, Dexter Fowler was 2-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored in the team’s win. He collected a pair of singles and walked. It was his third multi-hit game of the season.
Reds send Mahle to mound to cool Cards’ bats
Mahle wasn’t beating Pittsburgh’s Jameson Taillon that day, as the Pirates’ ace went the distance in a shutout. Still, Mahle’s performance was disappointing based on how well he pitched against the Cubs in his first start of the season (one hit allowed).
On Thursday night, Scooter Gennett had a two-run single and a stolen base versus the Cardinals. The 27-year-old is now batting .300/.327/.380 overall but he’s one of the few healthy Reds players that are hitting right now.
MLB Betting Trends
St. Louis
The Cardinals are 6-0 in their last six games in Cincinnati and are 5-0 in their last five games versus the Reds overall.
Cincinnati
The Reds have dropped 10 of their last 11 home games dating back to last season and are just 1-4 in their last five games versus National League Central opponents.
Prediction:
Following Carlos Martinez, Luke Weaver is the Cardinals’ best starter. He’s coming off a gem in his second start and St. Louis has been profitable with him on the mound. The Cardinals are 9-2 in his last 11 starts dating back to last season, are 6-1 in his last seven outings versus the rest of the National League Central, and are 8-1 in his last nine starts coming off a team loss in their previous game.
The Pick: St. Louis Cardinals -145