The Cincinnati Reds could be in for a fall vs. the baseball odds after getting swept by the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Reds and Cardinals were involved in a brawl during on Tuesday and Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Cueto has been suspended seven games for his actions. Cincinnati will be without one of their best pitchers for the next week and that does hurt them vs. the baseball betting odds.
Baseball odds favor the Cardinals to win the National League Central with the Reds the second choice. Cincinnati can’t afford to let the sweep by the Cardinals and the loss of Cueto ruin their season. They will have to right themselves and not totally fall apart.
Cueto was suspended for seven games and he was not the only one to get suspended. Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker and St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa were each suspended for two games and fined undisclosed amounts. Four other players received fines but they were not suspended. Those players were St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter and catcher Yadier Molina and Cincinnati second baseman Brandon Phillips and pitcher Russ Springer.
The Cardinals and Reds were off on Thursday so the suspensions begin on Friday. It is unlikely that they will be appealed since MLB had video of the entire brawl and the actions of each player. The Cardinals and Reds meet early next month in St. Louis for a three-game series vs. the baseball betting odds and the Reds are hoping that they are still in the race when that series occurs.
The Reds have been winning this season vs. the baseball odds with an offense that is sixth in the league. Their pitching has not been that good as they are 13th in the league in ERA. The loss of Cueto does hurt since he has been one of their most effective starting pitchers this season. He likely would have started next week in the series against Arizona. The Reds play the Marlins this weekend and have to face Josh Johnson on Friday so that will not be easy vs. the baseball betting odds. They then go to Arizona, Los Angeles and San Francisco for a very difficult nine-game road trip. That trip may decide if the Reds stay in the playoff race. They won’t have Cueto on the first part of the trip and he will be missed.