Cincinnati Reds vs Cleveland Indians Betting Preview

It is an all Ohio matchup on Monday as the Cincinnati Reds (61-51) square off with the Cleveland Indians (54-55) in interleague play.

The Indians will host this one at Progressive Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:10 pm ET. This is actually a makeup game from May 9 when their finale was rained out.

The Reds, who are second in the N.L. Central, come in having just swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in a four-game series over the weekend. The series sweep has now moved them within five games of the Brewers in the division and 2.5 games back of the Padres for the second Wild Card spot.

The Indians also had a successful weekend. While they didn’t earn a sweep, they were able to take two of three from the Detroit Tigers, including a 7-5 victory on Sunday. They sit second in the A.L. Central but also find themselves ten games back.

The Reds are the favorites in this one despite being on the road. They are -182 to win while the Indians’ moneyline is +135.

Pitching Matchup

The Reds will send Luis Castillo (6-10, 4.09 ERA) to the mound on Monday. After a rough start to the season, Castillo is 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA in his last seven games and could be a huge factor in Cincinnati’s ability to make the playoffs.

The Indians will counter with lefty Sam Hentges. On the season, he is 1-4 with a 7.86 ERA, 2.01 WHIP, and has 45 strikeouts in just 44.2 innings pitched. While Hentges has appeared in 17 games, he has only started eight, meaning he may not go too deep in this one.

By The Numbers

Offensively, Cincinnati has been one of the best teams in the league. They currently rank fifth in scoring averaging 5.05 runs per game. The Indians rank 19th, averaging 4.27 runs.

It is the Indians with the advantage on the defensive side. They rank 16th in scoring defense allowing opponents an average of just 4.57 runs. The Reds rank 23rd, allowing 4.86 runs per game.

Reds Look To Stay Hot

Cincinnati has been playing good ball as of late as they are 8-2 in their last ten games. Furthermore, they have played well on the road as they are 30-24 on the season.

The Reds recently received a big bump to their offense. After being out for the last few weeks with a micro-fracture in his right wrist, outfielder Nick Castellanos returned to the roster.

On the season, Castellanos is hitting .323/.378/.575 with 19 home runs, 61 runs batted in, and 62 runs scored.

The Reds’ hottest hitter as of late has been the first baseman Joey Votto. In the last 15 days, he is hitting .306/.390/.939 with ten home runs, 22 runs batted in, and 13 runs scored.

Indians Try To Get Back On Track

It was nice to see the Indians pick up the series win against the Tigers over the weekend. Prior to that, they had lost four of their last five, including three in a row.

After a trade deadline that saw them sell off a couple of significant pieces, the Indians are trying to get back on track and finish the season strong, even if the playoffs aren’t particularly likely.

The best hitter for the Indians this season has been Jose Ramirez. He is hitting .254/.339/.522 with a team-leading 24 home runs, 65 runs batted in, 71 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases.

While he is just two for nine, he also has a home run off of the Reds’ Luis Castillo. Amed Rosario has also taken the righty deep while going four for nine against him.

Intrastate Pride On The Line

Despite both currently being second-place teams in their respective divisions, these two teams have been going in opposite directions. The Reds have been playing well and look like they will compete for a postseason spot while the Indians continue to slip.

The season series currently has the Reds up three games to two. With a little state pride being on the line, though, expect both of these teams to go all out to win their final matchup of the season.

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