St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 8/18/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: Reds.TV

Odds/Point Spread: St. Louis (-130) Cincinnati (+110)

The St. Louis Cardinals (63-61) are headed to Great American Ball Park on Tuesday where they will compete against the Cincinnati Reds (59-64). The line on this contest has St. Louis at -130 and Cincinnati is coming in at +110. The total is 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Kyle Leahy and Andrew Abbott.

The Cardinals have compiled 176 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 129 baseballs out of the stadium. St. Louis has a slugging rate of .382 and have been rung up 952 times, while drawing a walk on 403 occasions. As a squad, the St. Louis Cardinals are scoring 4.4 runs per game, which has them sitting at 18th in the league. They have compiled 535 runs batted in as well as 997 base knocks so far this season, while their batting average is sitting at .240. They have tallied 548 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .316.

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The Cardinals have an ERA of 4.04 this season (12th in the league), and their staff has struck out 946 batters. Cardinals pitchers have surrendered 122 home runs in addition to 541 runs in total (12th in MLB). They have walked 422 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 4.11 as a unit for the year. St. Louis has given up 1,056 base hits (8.6 per 9 innings) as well as 497 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.24 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.34.

The Cardinals have dispatched 413 relievers to the hill for the year. The relief pitchers have inherited 192 runners this year and 36.5% of those runners crossing the plate. The bullpen have a total of 79 holds for the season (7th in the league). Cardinals relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 130 times in addition to having 153 appearances in high leverage situations. They have earned 35 saves on the campaign and have blown 22 of 57 save chances. The Cardinals relief pitchers have a save percentage of 61.4% and have entered the game in 140 save situations.

The St. Louis Cardinals have notched a total of 3,319 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 1,174 assists and 54 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .988 which ranks 5th in baseball, and have accumulated 124 double plays. The Cardinals have converted 69.5% of balls in play into outs in their 9,957 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 20th in professional baseball.

Leahy (14-8 mark in his career) holds a FIP of 3.47 and he has gone up against 1,067 opposing batters in the majors. He has allowed 246 base hits (8.7 hits per 9 innings) and has 78 free passes. His ERA is 3.53 (100 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.270. Leahy has taken the hill for 255 frames and has tallied 220 punch outs in his career.

Cincinnati has accounted for 161 home runs over the course of the season and 479 runs batted in. They have hit 177 two-baggers, while walking 443 times and putting up 502 runs. The Cincinnati Reds have compiled an on-base percentage of .306 and a team batting average of .226 this year. The Reds have a team slugging percentage of .393 and they are earning 4.08 runs per contest (25th in baseball). They have been rung up on 1,166 occasions (3rd in baseball) and have a total of 925 base knocks.

The Cincinnati pitching staff have given up 588 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 4.51 (548 earned runs surrendered). They have surrendered 155 home runs and they allow 4.84 runs per 9 innings (23rd in the league). The Reds hold a team WHIP of 1.404 and have a FIP of 4.67 as a staff on the year. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 8.20 (992 strikeouts vs 509 walks). They come in at 18th in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,026.

They are currently ranked 16th in the league with a save percentage of 62.7%, and they have dispatched 436 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond on the year. Their relievers have come in 156 times in high leverage situations and also on 134 occasions with base runners. With 123 save situations, the Reds have accrued 69 holds and 19 blown saves. Cincinnati has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 51 save opportunities and they have converted 32 saves. Cincinnati relievers have an inherited score percentage of 28.0% out of 193 inherited base runners.

In 9,837 innings played, the Reds have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (12th in pro baseball). The Cincinnati Reds have turned 85 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .985 (19th in professional baseball). The Reds have accrued 994 assists, 67 errors and are sitting with 3,279 putouts for the season.

So far in his MLB career, Abbott has surrendered 500 hits while he has tallied 485 K's in 546 innings pitched. Abbott (34-30 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 3.59 earned run average while allowing 8.2 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 218 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.287 and having a FIP of 3.5. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.39 and he has gone up against 2,307 opposing batters so far in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Cincinnati (+110) and under 8.5 runs

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