MLB Prop Bets: Cincinnati Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals (May 22, 2026)
The St. Louis Cardinals (28-21) face the Cincinnati Reds (26-24) at Great American Ball Park on Friday at 6:40pm (ET). Let's take a look at the MLB Prop Bets for the matchup. Kyle Leahy is the probable pitcher for the Cardinals, while Chris Paddack is the probable pitcher for the Reds. The total runs line is set at 9.5, with OVER at -108 and UNDER at -111.
- The Cardinals (+147) have a 31-18 Run Line record this season, while the Reds (-179) hold a record of 30-20.
- The Cardinals have a 22-25-2 O/U record this season (meaning 22 games have gone over the total runs line, 25 have gone under and two have resulted in a push). The Reds have a 31-19-0 O/U record.
Scoring Insights
- The Cardinals are averaging 4.5 runs per game this season (12th in the league). Comparatively, the Reds are averaging 4.4 (14th).
- In the field, the Cardinals are allowing 4.6 runs per game this season (T19th in the league), while the Reds are allowing an average of 5.0 runs (25th).
Let's take a look at how these teams perform in some other key statistical areas.
Batting Insights:
Batting Average
- Looking at their batting averages this season, the Cardinals are at .240 (ranking 16th in the Major leagues), while the Reds are batting .229 (27th).
Home Runs
- In terms of total home runs this season, the Reds have hit 63 (5th in the Major Leagues). Meanwhile, the Cardinals have managed 56 (12th).
Runs Batted In
- Finally, looking at their runs batted in, the Cardinals have recorded 212 RBIs to rank T13th in the MLB this season. Comparatively, the Reds have recorded 208 RBIs to rank T16th.
Pitching Insights:
Earned Run Average
- The Reds have an earned run average of 4.71 this season (25th in the Majors), while The Cardinals have an ERA of 4.24 (19th).
Strikeouts
- Turning our attention to total strikeouts, the Cardinals have recorded 358 this season, ranking 29th in the MLB. Meanwhile, the Reds rank 25th for total strikeouts, recording 389.
Opponent Batting Average
- Opponents are batting an average of .248 against the Reds this season (22nd in the Major Leagues). Comparatively, the Cardinals' opponents are at .257 (26th).
First Innings Moneyline
- Here are their first innings moneyline records in 2026.
| Total | Home | Road | Favorite | Underdog | Neutral | Last 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 8-10-31 | 3-5-18 | 5-5-13 | 1-3-3 | 7-7-28 | 0-0-0 | 2-3-5 |
| Reds | 10-14-26 | 6-5-13 | 4-9-13 | 4-2-9 | 6-12-17 | 0-0-0 | 1-3-6 |
Lead After Three Innings
- Here are their records after the first three innings in 2026.
| Total | Home | Road | Favorite | Underdog | Neutral | Last 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 19-15-15 | 11-7-8 | 8-8-7 | 3-3-1 | 16-12-14 | 0-0-0 | 3-3-4 |
| Reds | 15-22-13 | 8-10-6 | 7-12-7 | 6-5-4 | 9-17-9 | 0-0-0 | 4-4-2 |
NRFI/YRFI
The NRFI market is paying +115 and the YRFI is paying -150.
- The NRFI is 26-23 in Cardinals games this season. The Reds have a 25-25 NRFI record.
Last Time They Met
The Reds recorded a 6-2 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium when these teams last met on September 17, 2025. Spencer Steer dominated at the plate in that matchup, notching 1 home run, 2 singles and 5 RBIs.
