St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 4/1/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Thursday, April 1, 2021

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Odds/Point Spread: St. Louis (+105) Cincinnati (-115)

Jack Flaherty and the St. Louis Cardinals (30-28, 2nd in NL Central last year) travel to Great American Ball Park on Thursday where they'll meet the Cincinnati Reds (31-29, 3rd in NL Central last season). The Cardinals open this game at +105 while the Reds are coming in at -115. The total is set at 9.5. The starting pitchers are Jack Flaherty and Luis Castillo.

The Cardinals hit 73 doubles as a squad and hit 51 baseballs out of the park last season. St. Louis had a slugging % of .371 and were called out on strikes 477 times, while being walked on 205 occasions. As a team, the St. Louis Cardinals compiled 4.1 runs per game, which ranked them 24th in baseball. They accounted for 231 RBI's and 410 hits over the course of last year, and their average at the plate was .234. They notched a total of 240 runs while holding a team OBP of .323.

The Cardinals had a team earned run average of 3.90 over the course of last season (9th in the league), and the staff rung up 464 batters. Their K/BB ratio was 2.27 and the pitching staff held a collective WHIP of 1.23. Cardinals pitchers allowed 69 home runs in addition to 229 total runs (26th in MLB). Their pitching staff walked 204 opposing batters and their FIP came in at 4.58 as a unit over the course of last year. The Cardinals sent forth 177 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of last season. The relief pitchers inherited 97 runners last season with 26.8% of them crossed the plate. They accumulated 13 saves over the course of last year and blew 5 out of their 18 chances to save the game. The Cardinals relievers accumulated a save percentage of 72.2% and came into the game in 43 save situations. The bullpen had a total of 22 holds last season (25th in MLB). Cardinals bullpen pitchers went to the mound with runners on in 62 outings as well as 44 contests with high leverage.

Flaherty held a FIP of 4.11 and an ERA+ of 87. He gave up 22 earned runs throughout last year with a K/BB ratio of 3.1. He allowed 7.4 hits per nine innings and he earned a WHIP of 1.215. His earned run average was 4.91 and he fanned 49 opposing hitters. Jack Flaherty surrendered 33 base hits in 40.1 innings over the course of last season. Flaherty (23-22 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.77 and he has faced 1,651 hitters in the majors. He has allowed 299 base knocks (6.6 hits per nine innings) and has 140 walks. His ERA is 3.37 (153 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.073. Flaherty has taken the ball for 409 innings and has earned 482 K's so far in his career.

The Cincinnati Reds accounted for a team on-base percentage of .312 and a batting average of .212 over the course of the prior season. They were rung up on 534 occasions (12th in baseball) and recorded 390 base knocks. Cincinnati had 90 HRs for the previous season to go along with 237 RBIs. The Reds had a SLG% of .403 and they scored 4.05 runs per outing (28th in the league). They hit 76 two-baggers, while taking a walk 239 times as well as scoring 243 runs.

The Cincinnati pitching staff given up 243 runs in the prior season while having a team ERA of 3.84 (215 earned runs surrendered). They surrendered 67 homers and they relinquished 4.34 runs per 9 innings (9th in MLB). The Reds held a team WHIP of 1.218 and had a FIP of 3.92 as a staff over the course of last season. They had a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.89 (615 strikeouts against 213 bases on balls). They finished at 29th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 401. Wrapping up the year with 17 chances for a save, the Reds earned 25 holds and also 8 blown saves. Cincinnati called on relief pitchers to enter the contest in 43 save situations and they came away with 9 saves. Their bullpen pitchers came into 53 games with high leverage and also 56 games with runners on. Cincinnati bullpen pitchers had an inherited score percentage of 30.0% of 92 inherited base runners. They ranked 24th in the league with a save percentage of 52.9%, and they dispatched 168 relief pitchers onto the diamond last year.

Castillo had a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.7 with 89 total strikeouts and an ERA+ of 154. He threw 70.0 innings last year while surrendering 8 H/9 (hits per 9 innings). Castillo gave up 62 total hits while surrendering 25 earned runs (3.21 ERA). His WHIP sat at 1.23 and he had a FIP of 2.65 last season. So far in his pro baseball career, Castillo has allowed 423 hits while he has earned 578 K's in 519 innings pitched. He has conceded 209 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.168 and having a FIP of 3.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.14 and he has gone up against 2,140 hitters during his career. Castillo (32-33 win-loss mark in his career) holds a 3.62 earned run average while conceding 7.3 hits per nine innings.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Cincinnati (-115)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here