St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Picks and Prediction for Wednesday August 19, 2026

The St. Louis Cardinals visit Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, to face the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET, with coverage available on MLB.TV. St. Louis enters the matchup at 64-62 overall and 32-28 on the road, while Cincinnati is 60-65 overall and 31-34 at home. The current series is tied 1-1, with each club earning a win on Monday. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Bettors looking for more baseball analysis can check out our free MLB picks throughout the season.

Starting Pitchers

Matthew Liberatore is scheduled to start for St. Louis and enters with a 5-10 record, 5.07 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 119 innings. He has allowed 132 hits and 44 walks while striking out 116 and surrendering 20 home runs. Cincinnati counters with Chase Burns, who is 14-2 with a 2.47 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over 131 innings. Burns has allowed 97 hits and 46 walks while recording 151 strikeouts and giving up 13 home runs. Cincinnati owns a substantial advantage in ERA, WHIP and strikeout production from the starting pitching matchup.

Cardinals Bring the Better Overall Offensive Profile

St. Louis enters Wednesday at 64-62 overall and 32-28 away from home. The Cardinals are 3-2 over their last five games, with their two most recent results coming in a split doubleheader against Cincinnati. Before that, St. Louis won consecutive road games against the Cubs by scores of 11-4 and 8-4 after dropping the series opener 3-0.

For the season, St. Louis is batting .241 with a .317 on-base percentage and .382 slugging percentage. The Cardinals have scored 555 runs on 1,016 hits while hitting 130 home runs. Their pitching staff carries a 4.03 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .252. St. Louis has issued 426 walks and recorded 970 strikeouts.

The Cardinals' biggest advantage comes from their ability to put the ball in play and reach base at a slightly better rate than Cincinnati. St. Louis has the better batting average, on-base percentage and overall run production. The concern is the starting pitching matchup, where the Cardinals enter with a clear disadvantage against a Cincinnati starter who has been one of the stronger arms in the supplied statistics.

Reds Lean on a Dominant Starting Pitching Edge

Cincinnati enters Wednesday at 60-65 overall and 31-34 at home. The Reds are 2-3 over their last five games and split two games with St. Louis on Monday, winning 6-5 in extra innings after dropping a 2-1 decision. Cincinnati had previously lost consecutive games to Miami by scores of 7-1 and 8-4 after earning a 1-0 victory in the series opener.

The Reds are batting .227 with a .306 on-base percentage and .393 slugging percentage. Cincinnati has scored 509 runs on 941 hits while hitting 163 home runs. The pitching staff owns a 4.49 ERA and 1.40 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .246. Cincinnati has issued 517 walks and recorded 1,013 strikeouts.

Cincinnati's season-long pitching numbers are not especially strong, but the individual matchup is a different story. The Reds' projected starter enters with a 2.47 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, while St. Louis counters with a 5.07 ERA starter. That gap is large enough to offset much of the Cardinals' advantage in season-long offensive production.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds Picks and Prediction

Pick: Cincinnati Reds Moneyline

Cincinnati is the preferred side in this matchup because of the sizable starting pitching advantage. The Reds' projected starter carries a 14-2 record, 2.47 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, while the Cardinals counter with a starter owning a 5.07 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. St. Louis has the better overall offensive numbers and a stronger road record, but the gap on the mound is significant enough to make Cincinnati the stronger moneyline play if the price remains reasonable.

Pick: Under 8.5

Take the under if the total is set at 8.5. Cincinnati's starter has been excellent at limiting runs, and the Reds have scored three runs or fewer in three of their last five games. St. Louis has been more productive overall, but facing a starter with a sub-2.50 ERA should make sustained offense more difficult. With Cincinnati's offense also struggling for consistency, the under is the preferred total angle.

This game preview was completed prior to play on Tuesday.