Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Tuesday\u2019s MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins.<\/p>\n
Two National League postseason hopefuls are set to clash this evening in South Beach. The Reds (7-3) have gotten off to a fast start, thanks in large part to their pitching. It\u2019s a similar story for the Marlins (6-4), who will send out staff ace Sandy Alcantara on Tuesday. Can Miami earn a win with its face of the franchise on the hill this evening?<\/p>\n
The Marlins are favorites (-144)<\/a> over the Reds, with the over\/under set at seven runs<\/a>. Below, I\u2019ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Tuesday\u2019s showdown between Cincinnati and Miami on DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reds vs. Marlins prediction, preview<\/p>\n What\u2019s made Cincinnati\u2019s fast start so surprising is a lack of hitting. The team ranks 29th out of 30 MLB teams with 2.90 runs per game this season. While it\u2019s early, that\u2019s not the kind of start that normally lends itself to a 7-3 record. Just two hitters on this roster, Matt McLain and Sal Stewart, have an on-base percentage above .320. For the latter, it\u2019s looking like a potential breakout campaign. Through ten games, Stewart is slashing .353\/.476\/.618 with two home runs and five RBIs. Unfortunately, most of his teammates have gone cold at the plate. Improved play from Eugenio Suarez (.618 OPS) and Tyler Stephenson (.617 OPS) is likelier than not going forward.<\/p>\n At the moment, the Reds are without aces Hunter Greene (elbow) and Nick Lodolo (blisters). Still, this remains one of the National League\u2019s better pitching staffs. That\u2019s due in large part to Andrew Abbott, one of the sport\u2019s more underrated hurlers. Last season, the All-Star delivered a 2.87 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 149 strikeouts over 166.1 innings of work. The 26-year-old prefers weak contact and lazy fly balls instead of generating whiffs. That should serve to his advantage tonight inside cavernous LoanDepot Park. A Marlins lineup that doesn\u2019t strike out often will look to swing early against Abbott, a pitcher with excellent command.<\/p>\n Fortunately for the Fish, they have an elite arm of their own toeing the slab tonight. Despite a difficult 2025 campaign, Sandy Alcantara remains one of baseball\u2019s best pitchers. He\u2019s put the league on notice this season, tossing 16.0 scoreless innings through two starts. While some regression is inevitable, the former Cy Young winner certainly looks like his old self. Alcantara has thrown a changeup or four-seam fastball 49% of the time this season. Cincinnati owns a combined .196 batting average against those pitches.<\/p>\n As is usually the case, hitting is the biggest question mark for Miami. Granted, this group did a decent job over the weekend against an elite Yankees pitching staff. However, much of the damage came against lackluster relievers rather than New York\u2019s starters. In that regard, the Reds might offer more of a challenge. The team has posted a 2.84 bullpen ERA, seventh-best in baseball. In comparison, the Marlins rank eighth (2.86). In 2025, Miami hitters posted the league\u2019s seventh-lowest OPS against left-handed pitchers (.656). That\u2019s not a great sign going up against a quality southpaw such as Abbott.<\/p>\n Reds vs. Marlins pick, best bet<\/p>\n Cincinnati\u2019s offensive struggles have come as a bit of a surprise. It\u2019s difficult to see a return to form on Tuesday against the dominant arm of Alcantara. On the other side, Miami\u2019s issues hitting lefties should give Abbott an added boost tonight. In a battle between two All-Stars, backed up by quality bullpens, don\u2019t expect many runs this evening.<\/p>\n