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The St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds meet Sunday, May 24, 2026, at Great American Ball Park, with first pitch scheduled for 1:40 PM ET on CARD. St. Louis enters at 29-22, second in the NL Central, while Cincinnati sits at 27-25 and fourth in the division.
This is a tight market for good reason. The Cardinals have the better overall record and stronger pitching profile, but the Reds are at home in one of the more dangerous run environments in baseball. Cincinnati also just edged St. Louis 7-6 on Saturday, which keeps the series pressure high after these two clubs have already traded momentum.
The betting story comes down to whether St. Louis can exploit Brady Singer’s rough season numbers before Great American Ball Park turns this into another high-variance game. The weather calls for overcast skies with a light breeze, so the park still matters more than the conditions. With Brycen Mautz expected to provide a fresh look for St. Louis and Singer carrying a 6.26 ERA, the Cardinals have a clear path if their lineup gets early traffic.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Odds
The current MLB odds show a near pick’em price, with Cincinnati slightly favored at home. The total is high at 9.5, which reflects both the ballpark and the Reds’ season-long over profile.
| Market | Pick / Odds |
|---|---|
| Moneyline | St. Louis Cardinals -103 / Cincinnati Reds -118 |
| Run Line | St. Louis Cardinals run line not provided / Cincinnati Reds run line not provided |
| Total | Over 9.5 (-110) / Under 9.5 (-110) |
St. Louis Cardinals Betting Form
The St. Louis Cardinals are not coming in with dominant recent form, sitting 5-5 over their last ten, but their profile is still more balanced than Cincinnati’s. St. Louis has enough contact, on-base skill, and power to punish a struggling starter, and that is the main reason the Cardinals are attractive at this price.
Jordan Walker gives St. Louis a legitimate middle-order threat with a .302 average and 15 home runs. The Cardinals have also hit 60 homers as a team, which matters in Cincinnati because one mistake can change the entire game. Their offense does not need to manufacture everything slowly if Singer leaves pitches over the plate.
The injury report is manageable compared with some other teams on the board, though Lars Nootbaar being out removes a useful left-handed bat and on-base piece. Bettors should still check the St. Louis Cardinals injury report before betting, especially with lineup depth playing a bigger role in a high-total park.
Cincinnati Reds Betting Form
The Cincinnati Reds are also 5-5 over their last ten, and they have been difficult to price because the offense can explode even when the pitching profile looks shaky. Their 7-6 win over St. Louis showed the upside. Their recent 8-1 loss to the Cardinals showed the floor.
Cincinnati’s biggest strength is power. The Reds rank fifth in MLB with 66 home runs, and Elly De La Cruz remains the centerpiece of the lineup with 12 homers and 35 RBIs. At Great American Ball Park, that kind of profile gives Cincinnati a chance to erase deficits quickly and makes any under ticket uncomfortable.
The problem is the pitching side. Brady Singer has a 6.26 ERA, and while he has strikeout ability with 34 punchouts, the run-prevention profile is not strong enough to justify heavy trust. Cincinnati is also missing Hunter Greene, Brandon Williamson, Rhett Lowder, Emilio Pagán, and others, so the Cincinnati Reds injury report is especially important for bullpen and pitching-depth evaluation.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Matchup Breakdown
The matchup starts with Singer’s command. If he gives St. Louis free baserunners, the Cardinals have the contact quality and power to turn this game early. Great American Ball Park is not forgiving, and a starter with a 6.26 ERA against a top-ten batting average and on-base offense is a difficult sell, even at home.
Mautz is the less certain part of the handicap. St. Louis has 19 quality starts this season and a better overall pitching rank than Cincinnati, but there is still uncertainty around how deep Mautz can work and how quickly the Reds adjust. That makes the Cardinals’ bullpen and run support more important than usual.
The Reds’ power keeps them live at any point. De La Cruz, Nathaniel Lowe, and the rest of the lineup do not need a perfect offensive day to create damage in this park. Cincinnati’s best path is to force St. Louis into a bullpen game by the middle innings, then use its power profile to attack matchups late.
The total at 9.5 is high, but it is high for a reason. Cincinnati has a 32-20 over/under record, and the Reds are 15-5 to the over when totals are 9 or higher. Still, this number leaves less room for error, especially if St. Louis gets competent early pitching and the Cardinals control the game script rather than chasing.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Predictions and Best Bets
The Cardinals are the better side at the current price. St. Louis has the stronger overall pitching profile, a steadier offensive base, and the clear matchup advantage against Singer. At -103, the Cardinals are not being priced like the stronger team, which creates value in a game that is closer to a coin flip only because of the venue.
Cincinnati can absolutely win if Singer gives the Reds five decent innings and the lineup gets to Mautz early. The Reds’ power is the biggest reason this is not a comfortable play. Great American Ball Park can punish even good pitching, and Cincinnati’s lineup has enough home-run ability to flip the game quickly.
The under 9.5 is playable, but it is not as strong as the side. The model-style projection of 5-4 supports the under, and St. Louis’ pitching edge helps. The concern is that Singer’s ERA, Cincinnati’s over trends, and the park all create late scoring risk.
The biggest risk to the Cardinals moneyline is bullpen exposure. If Mautz does not provide length, St. Louis could be forced into a higher-scoring game than it wants. Still, with Singer struggling and the Cardinals carrying the better run-prevention profile, St. Louis is the sharper moneyline side.
Best Bet: St. Louis Cardinals Moneyline -103
MLB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
For bettors comparing this NL Central matchup with the rest of Sunday’s board, the MLB picks page is the best place to track expert angles across sides, totals, run lines, and first-five markets. The MLB previews section also gives a wider look at the daily matchup card.
The MLB expert betting guide can help bettors sharpen how they evaluate starting pitching, bullpen depth, park factors, and totals. You can also use the full MLB teams hub to compare team profiles around the league.
ScoresAndStats also features best handicappers, a live handicapper leaderboard, and options to buy picks when you want premium betting opinions beyond your own card.
