Cardinals vs. Reds prediction: Why Cincinnati is favored to win Thursday's MLB matchup [8/20/2026]

MLB action continues on Thursday at 12:40 PM ET as the St. Louis Cardinals lock horns with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

Brady Singer (5-11, 4.66 ERA) will get the ball for the Reds, while the Cardinals have opted for Michael McGreevy (5-9, 3.48 ERA).

Dimers' proven MLB model gives the Reds a slight edge with a 51.0% win probability over the Cardinals.

This article offers a complete Cardinals vs. Reds prediction, including best bets and picks.

Cardinals vs. Reds prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using innovative machine learning and data, we have simulated the result of Thursday's MLB game between the Cardinals and Reds, forming part of our MLB predictions coverage.

Our independent predictive model currently gives the Reds a 51.0% chance of defeating the Cardinals.

According to our model, the Reds (+1.5) have a 62.2% chance of covering the run line, while the over/under total of 8.5 runs has a 55.7% chance of going over,.

Cardinals vs. Reds odds [8/20/2026]

We have researched the best MLB odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

• Run Line: Cardinals -1.5 (+150) / Reds +1.5 (-156)
• Moneyline: Cardinals -104, Reds +104

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Cardinals vs. Reds picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets in this matchup. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

• Run line: Reds +1.5 @ -156 via DraftKings
• Moneyline: Reds @ +104 via Novig
• Total: Over 8.5 @ -120 via Novig

According to our best MLB bets, the top play to make on this game is Reds to win.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Cardinals vs. Reds game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's MLB action between the Reds and Cardinals at Great American Ball Park is scheduled to begin at 12:40 PM ET.

• Who: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds
• Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
• Time: 12:40 PM ET/9:40AM PT
• Venue: Great American Ball Park

Conclusion

We predict the Reds, with a 51.0% win probability, will likely beat the Cardinals in Thursday's MLB matchup.

Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.