The latest Mets vs Reds odds for Friday, April 5, are on the move.
After opening as -102 favorites on the moneyline, the Mets are now underdogs at +112. The over/under is set at 9 total runs across most sportsbooks.
The Mets vs Reds starting pitching matchup for Friday at Great American Ball Park features Jose Quintana for New York and Hunter Greene for Cincinnati. A notable omission from the Mets lineup on Friday is outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who was scratched due to hamstring tightness.
Find my Mets vs Reds pick and prediction below.
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For the first 17 innings of yesterday’s double header, it felt like a curse had hit the Mets as they entered the twin bill at 0-4 and let a 3-0 lead slip away while the Tigers held them hitless over 7 1/3 innings in game two. However, Harrison Bader broke up the hitless drought and Pete Alonso took Tigers reliever Alex Faedo deep in the ninth inning. Hopefully that’s a sign of things to come for Alonso, who has only two extra bases hits this season.
Alonso got rolling, but Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor haven’t turned their terrible starts around. He’s not hitting, but Nimmo’s .346 OBP shows he hasn’t gone away from his solid approach at the plate. He’ll start hitting eventually, as will Lindor and Jeff McNeil.
The must-have app for MLB bettorsHunter Greene is one of the nastiest pitchers in MLB and boasts an elite 12.2 K/9 rating, but that triple-digit heat hurts him when it comes to walks (3.86 BB/9) and home runs (1.53 HR/9). Greene reliance’s on the swing and miss often results in a high pitch count, so he doesn't often pitch past the sixth inning.
Greene will give way to a bullpen that’s struggled mightily in 2024 and has posted a 4.60 ERA. However, the back end of the 'pen is dominant with strikeout artists Fernando Cruz and Alexis Diaz — if the team can hold the lead until then.
Similarly, Elly De La Cruz feels like the offensive version of Greene. De La Cruz generates a ton of attention for his raw power and speed, but he’s hitting .250 and has struck out in half of his at bats.
In total, the Reds offense is slightly above average with a 103 wRC+ and a .790 OPS. The problem is three of the Reds four best hitters so far hit from the left side, which could be a problem against Quintana, a veteran lefty.
The name to watch here is Spencer Steer, who steered a ball into the left-field seats for a grand slam in extras against the Phillies three nights ago.
Mets vs. RedsBetting Pick & Prediction
The Reds don’t have enough weapons to make Quintana work, which could allow him to settle into a groove and provide the Mets with some much-needed length. It’s hard to get Quintana off his track once he’s rolling, so getting to him early is ideal. I think the Mets will get ahead early and the door for Edwin Diaz to notch his first save of the season.
Pick: Mets Moneyline (-124)