Game Information
St. Louis Cardinals (42-35) vs Cincinnati Reds (39-38)
Time: 1:15pm CT Sunday
How to watch: FanDuel Sports Network
Probable pitchers: Miles Mikolas (4-4, 4.35 ERA) vs Andrew Abbott (6-1, 1.84 ERA)
DraftKings Odds
Moneyline: Reds -116, Cardinals -105
Total: 9.5 (over -106, under -115)
Cards Go For Sweep
The St. Louis Cardinals go for a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds today when the teams meet in the finale of their three-game set at Busch Stadium.
It’ll be Miles Mikolas up against Andrew Abbott with both teams having streaks on the line. The Cards have won five consecutive games, while the Reds have yet to be swept in a series this season.
Arenado Mashing
Mikolas is coming off an excellent start at Milwaukee where he pitched 6 innings of 2-run ball with a season-high 7 strikeouts. The right-hander also shut out the Reds when he faced them earlier this season, going 5.1 innings with just 3 hits allowed and no walks.
A player to watch today will be Nolan Arenado, who is heating up for the Redbirds. Arenado’s game-tying blast in the 9th inning yesterday was his second homer in as many appearances. He has also crushed Abbott in his career, going 7-for-15 (.467 average) with 2 home runs.
Abbott Dealing
Abbott has been dynamite for Cincinnati this season. The left-hander has given up 0 or 1 earned runs in 10 of his 12 starts and would lead all of MLB in ERA if he had enough innings to qualify. Abbott also carries a streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings on the road heading into this game.
There are several hitters in Cincinnati’s lineup that have enjoyed success against Mikolas, including Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer. The two have combined to go 11-for-27 (.407 average) lifetime off Mikolas.
My Lean
Mikolas has struggled against Cincinnati in his career, going 6-8 with a 5.53 ERA. And these are the days I particularly worry about him when it’s hot and humid and the wind is blowing out to left field.
But I can’t pull the trigger on the Reds today. Mikolas has defied the odds most of the season, and the Cardinals are feeling it right now. Abbott also hasn’t been great against the Cards, as he has a 4.31 ERA in 6 career starts against them.
I’m going to sit this one out today because my numbers and my gut are on opposite sides, but if forced to make a pick, I’d go with the Cardinals to get it done and complete the sweep. As the old saying goes, “Never f*ck with a winning streak.”
Lean: Cardinals on the moneyline at -105 on DraftKings
Eric Sontag hosts Domesticated Gamblers every Friday on the STL Sports Central YouTube channel. Follow him on X @GamblingDads, and click here for his daily picks on all of our St. Louis area sports teams. Picks = betting the game - minus odds betting to win 1 unit, plus odds risking 1 unit. Leans = no strong opinion, not betting the game. Disclaimer