Cincinnati Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Predictions April 28th 2025

Reds Aim to Ride Road Success Into Home Dominance

Fresh off a successful road swing that ended with a commanding sweep of the Colorado Rockies, the Cincinnati Reds return to Great American Ball Park for a critical four-game set against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

After traveling for 10 grueling days and nine games across Baltimore, Miami, and Denver, the Reds closed the trip with an emphatic 8-1 win Sunday over Colorado. They now ride a four-game winning streak into their homestand, looking to extend their momentum further.

“We played pretty good baseball all trip,” said infielder Gavin Lux, one of the hottest bats in the lineup. “Especially after traveling so much, it’s important to finish strong and take that momentum into our homestand.”

Lux, now batting a robust .333, is on an 11-game hitting streak. He’s joined by Elly De La Cruz, who also extended his streak to 11 games while lifting his average to .270 in Sunday’s win.

For those tracking Cincinnati’s playoff odds and betting value, check out the latest MLB odds on the Scores and Stats Odds page.

Cardinals Struggling to Find Footing

While the Reds are surging, the Cardinals arrive limping. After a 7-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, St. Louis finished a stretch of 11 of 14 games on the road with a losing record.

Rookie reliever Matt Svanson provided a glimpse of hope in limited action, pitching 1 2/3 innings on Sunday, just his second career outing.

“It’s not like a big spotlight anymore. It’s just baseball at that point,” said Svanson, reflecting on his early big-league experiences.

St. Louis hopes a roster move can inject life: former Reds prospect José Barrero is expected to join the Cardinals for this series. Barrero has been raking at Triple-A Memphis, hitting .299 with four homers during a recent 19-game on-base streak.

For full player stats and Cardinals’ roster breakdowns, you can always visit the detailed MLB Teams page.

Pitching Preview: Pallante vs. Martinez

In Monday’s opener, St. Louis will send Andre Pallante (2-1, 4.05 ERA) to the mound. Pallante has dominated Cincinnati historically, going 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA over 15 career appearances (five starts) against the Reds.

Opposing him is right-hander Nick Martinez (0-3, 5.40 ERA), who is searching for his first win of 2025. While Martinez showed signs of rounding into form during his last outing — two runs over 5 2/3 innings — Cincinnati has dropped all five of his starts this season.

It’s a critical start for Martinez, who hasn’t seen the Reds lose six straight outings by a particular pitcher since 2022.

Before placing your bets, make sure to review full game predictions and expert advice on the MLB Picks page.

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Keys to the Series

• Reds’ Hot Hitters: With Lux and De La Cruz surging, the pressure is on Pallante and the Cardinals’ bullpen to slow them down.
• Bullpen Stamina: Cincinnati’s relief corps has quietly posted solid numbers during the winning streak.
• St. Louis Star Power: The Cardinals desperately need stars like Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt to wake up at the plate.

Don’t miss the full expert analysis available via the MLB Expert Betting Guide if you’re thinking about wagering on this pivotal NL Central clash.

Final Thoughts

The Reds find themselves at a pivotal point — momentum is on their side, energy is high, and Great American Ball Park will be buzzing. Sweeping the Rockies was impressive, but dominating the rival Cardinals would send a real message to the rest of the National League.

For the Cardinals, this series is an opportunity to stabilize their season and avoid sliding into deeper early-season trouble. They’ll need a much stronger offensive showing and cleaner bullpen performances to have a shot.