Reds vs. Cardinals Prediction, Odds, Probable Pitchers and Prop Bets for Monday, Sept. 15

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Cincinnati Reds-St. Louis Cardinals matchup on Sept. 15.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Zack Littell has a 4.50 ERA with Cincy this season. / Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals are in the mix for a playoff spot in the National League, as Cincy is 2.5 games back of the New York Mets while the Cardinals are four games back entering the final stretch of the regular season. 

This early-week series could end up crushing one of these teams in the wild card race, but oddsmakers have set this game as a near pick’em on Monday.

Zack Littell (3.78 ERA) is on the mound for the Reds after he was a midseason acquisition from the Tampa Bay Rays. St. Louis will counter with lefty Matthew Liberatore (4.35 ERA) in this matchup.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch and prediction for the NL Central battle on Monday. 

Reds vs. Cardinals Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Run Line

• Reds -1.5 (+156)
• Cardinals +1.5 (-193)

Moneyline

• Reds: -105
• Cardinals: -115

Total

• 8.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Reds vs. Cardinals Probable Pitchers

• Cincinnati: Zack Littell (9-8, 3.78 ERA)
• St. Louis: Matthew Liberatore (7-12, 4.35 ERA)

Reds vs. Cardinals How to Watch

• Date: Monday, Sept. 15
• Time: 7:45 p.m. EST
• Venue: Busch Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): FDSMW, FDSOH
• Reds record: 74-75
• Cardinals record: 73-77

Reds vs. Cardinals Best MLB Prop Bets

Cardinals Best MLB Prop Bet

• Alec Burleson to Hit a Home Run (+459)

Earlier today, I shared in SI Betting’s best home run picks – Daily Dinger – why Burleson is worth a look in this matchup: 

St. Louis Cardinals slugger Alec Burleson has a great matchup on Monday night against the Cincinnati Reds and righty Zack Littell. 

This season, Littell has allowed 34 home runs in 29 appearances, and while he has a 3.78 ERA, his Fielding Independent Pitching is all the way up at 4.94 – a sign that he’s due for a little regression at some point in 2025.

Burleson has crushed right-handed pitching this season, homering 14 times while posting a .288 batting average and an .812 OPS. He’s only homered one time in his last six games, but I think Burleson is worth a look against a home-run prone starter like Littell. 

Reds vs. Cardinals Prediction and Pick

So far this season, Liberatore has a 4.35 ERA, but he’s struggled a bit against the Reds, allowing 10 hits and five runs in just eight innings of work.

The Cardinals lefty has allowed at least three runs in 13 of his 27 starts, giving his team a pretty solid floor when it comes to hitting the OVER on Monday.

Littell, who has a 4.50 ERA in seven starts with the Reds, ranks in just the 22nd percentile in expected ERA (4.60) despite having an actual ERA of 3.78 in the 2025 season. The righty is extremely prone to the long ball, and he’s allowing an expected batting average against of .270 this season.

I wouldn’t be shocked to see these offenses thrive early on in this matchup, and this is a relatively low total given the advanced numbers for both starters. 

Plus, the Cardinals are one of the best OVER teams in MLB in the 2025 season at 75-67-8.

Given the pitching matchup, I think bettors should brace for a high-scoring game between these playoff hopefuls. 

Pick: OVER 8.5 (-108 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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