St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds – 8/22/20 MLB Pick, Odds, and Prediction

The Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals meet Saturday in MLB action from Busch Stadium. 

This will be the third installment of a four-game weekend set between these teams. In the series opener on Thursday, the Cardinals eked out a 5-4 victory. On Friday, the Reds were down 2-0 heading into the sixth inning but powered out four runs in that frame to hang on for a 4-2 win and even up the series. Check back all season long for free MLB picks and MLB predictions at Sports Chat Place. 

The Reds were out-hit 3-2 in the Friday victory, but the key sixth inning propelled the team to a win. Pinch hitter Matt Davidson won the game with one swing of the bat, slapping a grand slam on a 1-for-2 evening. Starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani went 4.1 innings with three hits, two earned, four walks and  two strikeouts. 

For the Saturday game, Cincinnati will send out Wade Miley as the starter. Over his two starts this season, Miley is 0-2 with a 16.20 ERA and five strikeouts in 3.1 innings overall. In his MLB career, Miley has an 85-84 record with a 4.25 ERA and 1120 strikeouts in 1407.0 innings of work. 

Over on the Cardinals’ side, starting pitcher Dakota Hudson lasted 4.2 innings on Friday, posting one hit, no earned, two walks and six strikeouts. Outside of that, offensively St. Louis didn’t have much going on. The Cards left 14 men on base and struck out seven times as a team. 

In Saturday’s starting pitcher role, the Cardinals are sending out Kwang Hyun Kim. The 32-year-old lefty Kim doesn’t have a decision yet this year, and holds a 3.86 ERA with one strikeout in 4.2 innings over two games (one start). 

The under is 6-1 in the Reds’ last seven Saturday games and 6-2-2 in their last 10 during game three of a series. Cincinnati is 4-10 in their last 14 games as a road underdog and 1-7 in their last eight games as an underdog. 

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 8-3 in their last 11 Saturday games and 36-16 in their last 51 games versus the National League Central. St. Louis is 0-4 during their last four in game three of a series and the over is 12-2-2 in their last 16 games versus a left-handed starter. 

Pick: I’m going Reds, but this is a tough one. There are plenty of question marks on both sides, beginning at starting pitcher. Miley has only delivered 1.2 innings in each of his two starts for Cincinnati so far and is still working back after a groin injury. As for Kim, he got into some trouble during his 3.2 innings on Monday and racked up 57 pitches. I’m thinking if Miley comes out decent here—and the bullpen doesn’t implode—the Reds can eke one out. It should be a close one, though. The over might be worth looking at as well.