St Louis (12-17) at Cincinnati (16-13)
- When: Apr 30 2025, 12:40 PM
- Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
- Where to watch: FDSOH
MLB Doubleheader Preview – Cardinals at Reds Game 1
Moneyline: Reds -150 | Total: 9.5
Cincinnati Reds Outlook
The surging Reds return for a twin bill on Wednesday riding a five-game winning streak and with momentum clearly on their side. Their defense and timely hitting have been key, including highlight plays that helped seal Monday’s 3-1 win.
Cincinnati will be without Austin Hays for at least the early game as he deals with a hamstring issue, though his .365 average and consistent production have been a huge boost this season. Even with Hays likely sidelined, Noelvi Marte has stepped up big. He’s hitting .471 with 16 RBIs over his last eight games, quickly proving he belongs in the everyday lineup after a brief stint back in Triple-A.
Right-hander Brady Singer (4-0, 3.62 ERA) will get the start and look to stay unbeaten. The Reds have averaged over eight runs per game in Singer’s starts, and although he’s only faced the Cardinals once before, he should benefit from Cincinnati’s current offensive groove.
St. Louis Cardinals Outlook
St. Louis continues to stumble, especially on the road. The Cards are just 2-12 away from Busch Stadium and are coming off a quiet offensive night where they were shut down by clutch Reds defense and couldn’t convert key scoring chances.
Veteran righty Miles Mikolas (0-2, 5.70 ERA) gets the ball in Game 1 and is still searching for his first win of the season. Despite throwing six shutout innings in his last start, the Cardinals have lost all five of his outings in 2025. Mikolas also owns a poor track record against Cincinnati with a 5.80 ERA in 21 career appearances.
The Cardinals’ bullpen and situational hitting continue to be issues, and unless they start capitalizing with runners on base, it’s hard to trust them—especially as road underdogs in a ballpark that hasn’t been kind to them.
Betting Breakdown:
Spread Lean: Reds -1.5 (at +135 odds)
Total Lean: Over 9.5 (+100) – Given Cincinnati’s run support and St. Louis’ road pitching woes, runs should be plentiful.
Score Prediction: Reds 6, Cardinals 4
- MLB Odds source: MyBookie Sportsbook
