The St. Louis Cardinals close out a four-game set in Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon, sending right-hander Michael McGreevy to the mound against Reds righty Brady Singer at Great American Ball Park. St. Louis is the road favorite at -120 on the moneyline for the getaway-day finale. Cincinnati grabbed the previous night 5-4, so there is fresh momentum to sort out. Our lean rests on the price attached to the Cardinals and on the run environment inside this ballpark.
Last Updated: Thursday, August 20, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds — Time & How to Watch
| Where | Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH |
| When | Thursday, August 20 — 12:40 PM ET |
| TV | Cardinals TV / Reds TV; MLB.TV (out of market) |
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview
The pitching matchup sets the tone. McGreevy carries a tidy 5-9 record and 3.48 ERA, but the surface number flatters him. He is a pitch-to-contact righty with a low strikeout rate, and his ERA has climbed as the season has worn on. He even worked an outing out of the bullpen recently, so his workload has been managed. Singer counters at 5-11 with a 4.66 ERA. The sinkerballer has been searching for his form and carries a notable platoon split that left-handed bats can attack.
Form favors the visitors. The Cardinals have gone 7-3 over their last 10 and sit at 65-63, third in the NL Central. Cincinnati is 4-6 in its last 10 and 61-66, down in fifth. Both clubs are well back in the division and clinging to the fringe of the wild-card chase. Still, the Reds have real thunder at home. Sal Stewart took over the major league RBI lead and his three-run homer decided the previous night, and Elly De La Cruz remains a threat to change a game with one swing. You can read our earlier look at this series in our Cardinals vs. Reds series coverage, and the full line on the probable starters.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds Odds
| Run Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | -1.5 (+135) | -120 | U 9 (-110) |
| Reds | +1.5 (-160) | +100 | O 9 (-110) |
Odds accurate as of August 20, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest MLB Odds – Futures – Props
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Cardinals | 50% | 50% | Reds |
See the latest MLB Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Cardinals vs. Reds Prediction — Does the Road Favorite Pay Its Way?
The vehicle matters here more than the side. St. Louis is the rare road favorite, and that is exactly the profile that helps a run-line play. A road team bats in the ninth even when it leads, giving extra swings to stretch a one-run edge into a two-run margin. Pair that with Singer’s 4.66 ERA and his platoon vulnerability, and with a Cardinals lineup that has gone 7-3, and a multi-run result is genuinely live rather than a stretch.
The market has drifted the same way. The Cardinals’ run line shortened from +150 at the open to +135, a sign of money backing St. Louis to win by two or more. The moneyline also firmed from -112 to -120. That move, however, rode with a public that is 63% on the Cardinals to win outright, so it reads as expected rather than sharp. The value is not in laying -120 on a coin flip. It is in the plus price on a margin the matchup supports.
The counter-case is honest and real. Roughly 28% of MLB games are decided by a single run, which is why the line sits at 1.5 in the first place. McGreevy’s clean ERA hides a low strikeout rate and a number that has been trending the wrong way, and Great American Ball Park can keep the Reds within one swing all afternoon. If this turns into a one-run grind, the Reds at +1.5 are the side that cashes. We accept that risk for the better number.
The Pick: Cardinals Run Line -1.5 (+135)
Cardinals vs. Reds Prediction — Will the Ballpark Have Its Say?
Start with the venue, because it is the load-bearing input on the total. Great American Ball Park is one of the friendlier hitting environments in the majors and grades near the top of the league for run scoring. Neither starter profiles as a stopper in that setting. McGreevy pitches to soft contact with few whiffs, Singer brings a platoon split that a balanced order can target, and the Reds’ bats have life at home with Stewart and De La Cruz in the middle. That combination points toward traffic and pitch counts.
The under has a case worth respecting. Nine is already a healthy number that bakes in the park, and both of these arms can generate quick ground-ball outs when they are locating. A tidy, fast-moving afternoon is on the board. Still, the matchup and the ballpark tilt the read toward runs, and the price is fair at a standard number.
The Pick: Over 9 (-110)
Final Thoughts and Bonus Angle
Two things will tell the story early. The first is McGreevy’s command in a small park, because a contact pitcher who misses over the plate can pay for it quickly here. The second is whether the Reds can exploit Singer’s platoon split before he settles. Cincinnati carries momentum after beating the Cardinals 5-4 the night before, and a hot Stewart makes the middle of that order dangerous. Late-inning bullpen work could decide a close one, which is another reason the run environment is in play.
Both of our plays lean in the same direction, toward a Cardinals lead and a scoreboard that keeps moving, so treat them as a correlated pair rather than two independent tickets. To recap the card for Thursday: the lead play is the Cardinals Run Line -1.5 (+135), supported by the Over 9 (-110). Neither is a certainty, and each rests on an afternoon that avoids the one-run, low-scoring outcome the Reds are built to force at home.
MLB Cardinals vs. Reds FAQ: Thursday August 20, 2026
What time does the Cardinals vs. Reds game start?
First pitch is set for 12:40 PM ET on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. It is a getaway-day afternoon game and the finale of the four-game series between St. Louis and Cincinnati.
What channel is the Cardinals vs. Reds game on?
The game airs locally on Cardinals TV and Reds TV, the clubs’ regional broadcasts. Viewers outside those markets can stream it on MLB.TV, subject to blackout rules. Coverage begins shortly before the 12:40 PM ET first pitch.
Who is pitching for the Cardinals today?
Right-hander Michael McGreevy starts for St. Louis, bringing a 5-9 record and a 3.48 ERA into the finale. Cincinnati counters with right-hander Brady Singer, who is 5-11 with a 4.66 ERA. Both are the confirmed probable starters for the afternoon.
Who won the last meeting between the Cardinals and Reds?
Cincinnati won the previous night 5-4, rallying behind a three-run home run from Sal Stewart, who took over the major league RBI lead with the swing. Chase Burns started for the Reds in that game. The series is even entering Thursday’s finale.
Where do the Cardinals and Reds stand in the NL Central?
St. Louis sits third in the NL Central at 65-63, while Cincinnati is fifth at 61-66. Both teams trail the division leaders by a wide margin and are on the outer edge of the National League wild-card race as the schedule turns toward September.