Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds Picks and Prediction for Wednesday September 16 2026

The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM ET with coverage on MLB.TV. Los Angeles enters at 91-59 overall and 44-31 on the road, while Cincinnati is 70-80 overall and 36-39 at home. The Dodgers lead the NL West and won the first completed game of the current series 4-1, while the Reds sit fifth in the NL Central. Los Angeles is -207 on the moneyline and -1.5 (-126) on the run line, while Cincinnati is +169 on the moneyline and +1.5 (+104). The total is 8.5 runs, with both the Over and Under priced at -110. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more MLB predictions throughout the season.

Starting Pitchers

Los Angeles is scheduled to start Blake Snell, who enters at 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA and 1.09 WHIP through 37.2 innings. He has allowed only 25 hits without surrendering a home run while recording 51 strikeouts against 16 walks. Cincinnati counters with Andrew Abbott, who is 6-11 with a 4.78 ERA and 1.46 WHIP through 154.1 innings. He has allowed 156 hits and 24 home runs while striking out 120 and walking 70. The Los Angeles starter has worked a much smaller sample of innings, but his current numbers provide the Dodgers with a significant starting-pitching advantage. His ERA is 2.87 runs lower, his WHIP is .37 lower, and he has yet to allow a home run in the supplied 37.2 innings.

Los Angeles Brings the Stronger Overall Profile

Los Angeles enters Wednesday at 91-59 overall and 44-31 on the road. The Dodgers have gone 3-2 over their last five completed games, including a 4-1 victory at Cincinnati in the first completed game of this series. They also defeated Cincinnati 14-1 on September 9, giving Los Angeles two convincing victories in the two most recent completed meetings listed in the supplied information. The Dodgers hold first place in the NL West with a nine-game advantage over second place.

Los Angeles is batting .255 with 745 runs, 1,285 hits and 186 home runs. The Dodgers have posted a .336 on-base percentage and .421 slugging percentage. Their pitching has been equally impressive, with a 3.66 team ERA and 1.16 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .220 batting average. The staff has recorded 1,387 strikeouts against 458 walks.

Balance is the major strength for Los Angeles entering this matchup. The Dodgers have scored 120 more runs than Cincinnati while also holding sizable advantages in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Their pitching staff owns a team ERA 1.22 runs lower than Cincinnati's and has allowed opponents to hit only .220 compared with .254 against the Reds. With a 44-31 road record and the better starting-pitching matchup, Los Angeles has multiple statistical advantages to work with Wednesday.

Cincinnati Needs Its Power to Make the Difference

Cincinnati enters at 70-80 overall and 36-39 at Great American Ball Park. The Reds have dropped four of their last five completed games, with their lone victory during that stretch coming 4-3 at Milwaukee. Their losses include 4-1 and 14-1 defeats against Los Angeles as well as 13-9 and 20-0 losses against Milwaukee. Cincinnati sits fifth in the NL Central and enters this matchup 23 games behind the division leader.

The Reds are batting .229 with 625 runs, 1,145 hits and 200 home runs. Their .307 on-base percentage trails Los Angeles considerably, although Cincinnati's 200 home runs are 14 more than the Dodgers have produced. The Reds own a .396 slugging percentage. Pitching has been the larger problem, as Cincinnati carries a 4.88 team ERA and 1.44 WHIP while opponents are batting .254. The staff has 1,213 strikeouts against 619 walks.

Cincinnati's home-run production represents its clearest offensive strength, but the overall numbers make this a difficult matchup. The Reds have scored 120 fewer runs than Los Angeles despite hitting more home runs, illustrating how much the Dodgers' advantages in batting average and reaching base have mattered. Cincinnati has also surrendered 38 runs across its last five completed games. Facing the stronger scheduled starter while carrying a 4.88 team ERA puts considerable pressure on the Reds to generate offense against a Los Angeles staff that has been difficult to hit throughout the season.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds Picks and Prediction

Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-126)

Take the Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-126) rather than laying -207 on the moneyline. Los Angeles has advantages in overall record, road/home performance, starting pitching, team ERA, WHIP, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The Dodgers have also won the two most recent completed meetings in the supplied results by scores of 4-1 and 14-1. Cincinnati has lost four of its last five completed games and allowed at least 13 runs three times during that stretch. With the moneyline carrying a steep price, laying 1.5 runs at -126 offers the more attractive side.

Pick: Under 8.5 (-110)

Take the Under 8.5 (-110). Los Angeles enters with a 3.66 team ERA and has the stronger starting-pitching matchup, while Cincinnati is batting only .229 with a .307 on-base percentage. The Dodgers have held the Reds to one run in each of their two most recent completed meetings, producing final scores of 4-1 and 14-1. The second result obviously sailed Over because of the Los Angeles offense, but Wednesday's pitching matchup offers a different setup. With the Los Angeles starter carrying a 1.91 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and no home runs allowed through 37.2 innings, Cincinnati could have difficulty contributing enough offense to push the game beyond 8.5.

Final Picks: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-126) and Under 8.5 (-110)

This preview was completed on Tuesday. Starting pitchers, betting lines and other game information are subject to change before the game begins.