St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds odds, picks and prediction

Analyzing Sunday’s St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds odds and lines, with MLB picks and predictions.

The St. Louis Cardinals (49-50) play the Cincinnati Reds (51-47) Sunday in their three-game series finale at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Cardinals vs. Reds odds with MLB picks and predictions.

Cincy is looking for the series sweep after beating St. Louis in the first two games by a combined score of 11-8.

Season series: Reds lead 8-4.

RHP Johan Oviedo takes the mound for the Cardinals. Oviedo is 0-5 with a 4.81 ERA (58 IP, 31 ER), 1.50 WHIP, 4.8 BB/9 and 7.0 K/9 over 12 starts and one relief appearance.

  • Last outing: No-decision with 5 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB and 5 K in a 7-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs Tuesday.
  • 2021 road splits: 0-3 with a 5.92 ERA (24 1/3 IP, 16 ER), 1.97 WHIP and 0.7 K/BB rate in six starts.

RHP Sonny Gray makes his 14th start for the Reds. Gray is 2-5 with a 3.65 ERA (66 2/3 IP, 27 ER), 1.35 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9 and 11.6 K/9 this year.

  • Last outing: Loss, 8-0, with 4 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 4 BB and 6 K vs. the Milwaukee Brewers July 18.
  • Gray took a loss earlier this season against St. Louis (April 23) with 3 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 3 BB and 6 K in Cincy’s 5-4 defeat.
    • vs. Cardinals on the current roster: 3.01 FIP with a .219 batting average, .286 wOBA, .505 expected slugging percentage, 27.0 K% and 88.5 mph exit velocity in 74 plate appearances.

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Cardinals at Reds odds, lines, picks and prediction

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:41 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Cardinals +150 (bet $100 to win $150) | Reds -185 (bet $185 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Cardinals +1.5 (-125) | Reds -1.5 (+105)
  • Over/Under: 9.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Prediction

Reds 9, Cardinals 4

Money line (ML)

“LEAN” to the REDS (-185) because there has been “sharp” line movement towards Cincy as BetMGM opened this game up with the Reds favored -175 before they were steamed up to the current price.

The Reds have won four straight against the Cardinals at home this season by a combined score of 32-15 and Oviedo has pitched poorly on the road this year.

However, I’d risk just 1 unit on Cincy’s money line. If your standard wager is $100, BET $100 on REDS (-185) to hopefully earn a profit of $54.05.

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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

I prefer TAKING the REDS -1.5 (+105) more than their money line because of the plus-money payout and the Reds have won by two or more runs in four of their current six-game winning streak vs. the Cardinals.

The odds are in our favor in this spot because Cincy has a 53.5% cover rate vs. divisional foes this season (23-20 ATS), St. Louis’ cover rate is 43.6% against NL Central competition (17-22 ATS) and the implied win probability of Cincy’s run line price is 48.8%.

Essentially, we need to win the REDS -1.5 (+105) wager just half the time to net a profit and Cincy is covering against NL Central teams more than half the time.

Over/Under (O/U)

“LEAN” to the OVER 9.5 (-115) for a half unit because both starters are middle to bottom of the rotation guys and neither bullpen grades well in advanced pitching metrics.

In addition, the Over is 4-0-1 in the last five Cardinals-Reds meetings in Cincy and Gray has given up 11 earned runs in just 4 1/3 innings of work over his past two starts vs. St. Louis (one earlier this season and the other in 2020).

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