St. Louis had its own rough outing after facing the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the best teams in the National League. After a persistent battering by the Dodgers batting lineup, the Cardinals will be happy facing a team that had a similar struggle only nights before. However, the Cardinals will definitely need to do a better job at limiting the Reds batters on Thursday.
With both teams searching for a win here and having trouble capitalizing at the plate, this game can be a tricky pick. Before selecting, let’s go over what both teams need to do to win on Thursday.
The Reds will look to forget their 17-3 loss to the Phillies
It is vital that Cincinnati puts their 17-3 loss behind them and move forward in preparation for the St. Louis Cardinals. Their downfall was poor performance on the mound, and if they stick with the 1-8 Luis Castillo taking the mound on Thursday, the Reds could be in trouble. Castillo has an ERA of 7.22, but they could make a last-minute decision, giving the start to RHP Vladamir Gutierrez.
Bettors should definitely confirm who will be making the start on the mound for the Reds on Thursday, as it could easily determine the course of the game. The line on this game is very close, the Reds only come in as +105 underdogs. Keep in mind that the Reds have a 10-13 record as underdogs.
The Cardinals are a much better team than they showed on Wednesday
Their game on Wednesday night ended in an embarrassing loss, but the Cardinals are leagues beyond that singular showing. They’re the second-best team in the NL Central and have a great record at 31-25. St. Louis has struggled over their last ten games, but this series against the Reds will give them a chance to bounce back.
The Cardinals look to put SP Adam Wainwright on the mound, Wainwright has a 3-4 record as a starter and has an average ERA of 4.22. The Reds have the ninth-most runs in MLB and have a top ten batting average. If the Cardinals want to win on Thursday, they’ll have to find a way to stall out the Reds batters, much like the Phillies did.
Best team to bet on Thursday? St. Louis Cardinals -115
This game boils down to which team can bounce back better from a loss. The Cardinals had a poor outing against the Dodgers on Wednesday but have more than enough talent to rebound on Thursday. The Cardinals have shown before how strong of a team they are, and being able to bet them at this line is a great bet to make.
Look for the home team to snag a win here after a rough loss, St. Louis Cardinals -115.