The Cincinnati Reds exceeded expectations last season but still fell short of a postseason appearance. They finished 82-80, ending with a better road record (44-37) than at Great American Ball Park (38-43). They placed 3rd in the NL Central, 10 Games behind the division champion Milwaukee Brewers.
The Reds have rising superstar SS Elly De La Cruz entering his 2nd season, so hopes will be high for this Cincinnati team. The Reds did part ways with long-time 1B Joey Votto (who signed a minor-league deal with Toronto) and top prospect 3B Noelvi Marte was hit with an 80-Game suspension and will be ineligible for the postseason suspension for a performance enhancing drug violation.
Let’s analyze the Cincinnati Reds’ World Series odds, along with their projected win total, playoff, division and NL odds as we make our expert MLB picks and predictions.
Cincinnati Reds World Series odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, March 19 at 6:47 a.m. ET.
Odds: +5000 (bet $100 to win $5,000)
Cincinnati is tied for the 16th shortest odds to win it all. The Los Angeles Dodgers (+320) are the favorites, followed by the Atlanta Braves (+450), Houston Astros (+700) and New York Yankees (+900).
At +5000, Cincinnati has an implied probability of winning the World Series of 2% or 50/1 fractional odds. The improvements that could be due from a strong young core, especially in the Reds rotation, could present good value here.
The Oakland A’s and Colorado Rockies are tied for the longest odds at +50000. BACKING THE REDS (+5000) to win the World Series for a 50-to-1 payoff is worth a small wager.
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Cincinnati Reds playoff odds
Will they make the playoffs: Yes +134 | No -172
The Reds may have hit some turbulence prior to the season with the Marte suspension, but they still have a solid roster behind De La Cruz and IF/OF Jonathan India, the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year. India is being moved out of his normal position by 2B Matt McLain, who was the 17th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. There’s hope in Cincinnati that McLain can be even better after notching 106 hits in 365 ABs for a team-best .290 batting average in 2023.
If the pitching staff, who MLB.com’s David Adler called a dark-horse rotation, steps up, this team can make a run to the postseason.
BET REDS TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS (+134).
Cincinnati Reds win total
Over/Under: 82.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Over the last several seasons, the Reds’ pain point has been the rotation, but pitchers like LHP Andrew Abbott and RHP Hunter Greene could be ready to explode. Plus, Cincinnati added veterans RHP Nick Martinez and RHP Frankie Montas to bring in some consistency — Montas has been tabbed as the Opening Day starter.
The Reds are an improved team in a winnable division, but they have had solid teams before and have won more than 82 games in just 1 season since 2014 — and they only won 83 games that season (2021). For these odds, taking them to win the division provides better value.
Ultimalty, PASS here.
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To win NL Central Division
- St. Louis Cardinals +160 (bet $100 to win $160)
- Chicago Cubs +210 (bet $100 to win $210)
- Cincinnati Reds +350 (bet $100 to win $350)
- Milwaukee Brewers +700 (bet $100 to win $700)
- Pittsburgh Pirates +1200 (bet $100 to win $1,200)
Cincinnati’s implied probability of winning the NL Central is 22.22% or 7/2 fractional odds. The Cardinals and Cubs are the only threats here. If the Reds can bring together the pitching, and players like Abbott and McLain can avoid sophomore slumps, there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t make a run down the stretch.
The Reds finished 10 games behind the Brewers last season but had a shot before Milwaukee finished 26-13. The Brewers have regressed, and this division could be wide open. Cincinnati is worth a play here.
BACK REDS (+350) TO WIN THE NL CENTRAL.
To win National League
Odds: +2300 (bet $100 to win $2,300)
The Reds are a solid team, and as we’ve prefaced, they have several stars that could get going and help them contend for both the division and the NL pennant.
Regardless, the NL will be difficult to win, especially with teams like Philadelphia (+800), Atlanta (+250) and Los Angeles (+165) in the mix, the latter 2 of which are the top favorites to win the World Series.
While the Reds’ odds are enticing, ultimately, this one isn’t worth a play. PASS.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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