The Cincinnati Reds head to Busch Stadium in St. Louis to face the Cardinals to open up a three-game series between these two NL Central foes.
Both teams are currently on their own respective losing streaks as the Reds have lost their past two games while the Cardinals have lost their last three games as they were swept in their last series.
The first pitch is expected to commence at 8:15 PM EST. The St. Louis Cardinals are the moneyline favorite with -142 odds, while the Reds are the underdog with +131 odds.
Reds look to Climb Up Standings
The Cincinnati Reds find themselves in the basement of the NL Central Division race. They currently have a 20-37 record, which puts them 12 games behind first place in the division. The biggest issue they are having on the field is their lack of consistency on the mound.
In Friday’s contest, they will look to the righty Luis Castillo to help move his team in the right direction. Castillo currently has a 2-3 record with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. While Castillo has struggled this season, he is capable of tossing a quality start to help the Reds begin their trek up the standings.
Opposing pitchers must keep an eye on third baseman Brandon Drury. Drury currently leads the Reds in home runs with 11 and batting average with an average of .271. He is a leader in the clubhouse, and the Reds expect him to do some damage on Friday evening.
Cardinals Must Get Back into Win Column
St. Louis found themselves on the wrong end of a sweep as they lost three straight to the Tampa Bay Rays in their last series. They will look to get back to collecting wins at home against the Reds. The Cards sit just a mere ½ game out of first place in the NL Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
They are giving the ball to the right-handed pitcher, Andre Pallante. Pallante has a 1-0 record with a 1.23 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He will be looking to help his team get back into the win column on Friday.
When it comes to game-changers for the St. Louis Cardinals in their lineup, one name comes to mind. Paul Goldschmidt leads this team in home runs, batting average, and runs batted in.
Goldschmidt currently has 12 home runs with a .338 batting average and has 47 RBIs. He puts fear into opposing pitchers every at-bat he is at home plate.
Pick and Prediction
The Cardinals are the money line favorite for this contest, and for a good reason. They are a contender for a division championship and have been playing like it for the majority of the season thus far.
St. Louis has the better pitching staff and has a better lineup. They are ahead in batting average, on-base percentage runs, and hits. Expect the St. Louis Cardinals to find their groove once again at home on Friday with a win.
Pick the St. Louis Cardinals as the favorite with -142 odds to win Friday night’s NL Central matchup.
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