The Cincinnati Reds host the St. Louis Cardinals on May 22, 2026. First pitch from Great American Ball Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on CINR.
The Reds are -112 on the moneyline. The Cardinals are -104 on the moneyline. The over/under is set at 9.5 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Cardinals vs Reds prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Cardinals vs Reds Prediction
- Cardinals vs Reds Pick: Jordan Walker Over 1.5 Total Bases (-130, FanDuel)
Cardinals vs Reds Odds
| Cardinals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +155 | 9.5 -105o / -115u | -104 |
| Reds Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -188 | 9.5 -105o / -115u | -112 |
Cardinals vs Reds Probable Pitchers
| Kyle Leahy (RHP, STL) | Stat | Chris Paddack (RHP, CIN) |
|---|---|---|
| 5-3 | W-L | 0-5 |
| 0.0 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.1 |
| 3.94 / 6.17 | ERA / xERA | 7.07 / 4.22 |
| 4.83 / 4.42 | FIP / xFIP | 4.70 / 4.40 |
| 6.8% | K-BB% | 11.2% |
| 46.3% | GB% | 40.8% |
| .317 | BABIP | .342 |
| 89 | Stuff+ | 90 |
| 105 | Location+ | 111 |
Cardinals vs Reds MLB Betting Preview
Despite a relatively disappointing first three years for Saint Louis’ former highly-touted prospect, Jordan Walker has taken a massive leap in 2026 and has quickly established himself as one of baseball’s premier sluggers.
The Cardinals’ 23-year-old phenom ranks inside the top-10 in several statistical categories, having smashed 13 home runs, driven in 34 RBIs, and has been slashing at the plate with a 0.938 OPS thus far.
While Saint Louis’ fanbase was certainly worried about its top prospect across his first few years in the MLB, the Cardinals’ youngster has silenced the critics and is now the best player on the entire ball club.
In addition to his scorching form at the plate, Walker gets a very favorable matchup in Cincinnati, as veteran right-hander Chris Paddack is set to take the mound for the Reds amid a terrible 2026 campaign.
The Reds’ 30-year-old was just signed to a one-year contract after having recorded career-low numbers on the mound to start his 2026 campaign with the Marlins. Paddack’s 7.63 ERA across seven outings with Miami was enough for the club to release him.
Though Paddack slightly improved in his first start with the Reds, having allowed two earned runs across five frames, I expect Paddack to continue his horrific form as Cincinnati hosts a red-hot Cardinal bunch.
Cardinals vs Reds Pick, Betting Analysis
While Walker is hitless in three prior plate appearances against the Reds’ veteran, the Cardinals’ youngster is an entirely different player this season and has a hard-contact profile at the plate, which should pose problems for Paddack.
Saint Louis’ superstar has drastically changed his batting stance, resulting in a complete transformation from a hitter with a high ground-ball rate to one who can generate substantial power at the plate with a much higher barrel rate.
Walker’s elite exit velocities and slugging metrics against right-handed pitching should be problematic for Paddack, given his current form.
Paddack’s command issues in 2026 have resulted in the Reds’ righty having to rely far more on his four-seam fastball, which happens to be Walker’s most favorable pitch to display his raw power at the plate.
Given Walker’s improved patience at the plate, I do not expect him to chase Paddack’s off-speed arsenal, and the Cardinals’ star could very well smash a high-velocity fastball if it is left up in the zone.
That said, I feel great backing Walker to exceed his total bases prop.
Pick: Jordan Walker Over 1.5 Total Bases (-130, FanDuel)
