Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 5/3/2022

Time: 7:40 p.m. ET

Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI

Where to watch: Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Wisconsin

DraftKings: Brewers -275, Reds +220

WynnBet: Brewers -280, Reds +240

Caesars: Brewers -260, Reds +230

Reds: 3-19

Brewers: 15-8

I’m going to be completely honest and say that watching the Cincinnati Reds for only two games this year has been in the same echelon as illegal torture. There is no way on this planet that a team should be this bad, losing 16 of 19 to begin the season.

 

I suppose that’s what happens when you decide to not have anything good in your life and it’s an annual reminder to sell the franchise because holy mother of god, is this team the most awful baseball product you’ve ever seen.

 

Just imagine that we live in a world where the Diamondbacks, Marlins and Pirates all have better records right now than the Cincinnati ballclub, and I’d venture to guess that it’s not going to get any better on Tuesday when they visit the Milwaukee Brewers, a much better collection of people than them at 15-8 this season.

 

The Reds are coming off an egregious 10-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies for their worst start in franchise history and the worst look by any team in the last 20 seasons through a team’s first 22 games. Let me be clear: The Rockies are a good team who will feast on any horrible pitching. But my god, this is bad. Starting pitcher Reiver Sanmartin gave up six runs on 10 hits in the first inning and nothing else good came out of it.

 

"Obviously, we’re not playing how we want to play. We’re not playing how we should be playing,” said Mike Moustakas, who moved from third base to make a start at first base on Sunday. “There are 162 games. Obviously, this isn’t the start you want to get off to, but we have to keep going out there and keep fighting every single day and keep getting after it. There is no quit in this team.”

 

May I please motion to quit? Because I think the Reds want to quit for the sole purpose of just fast forwarding to September. We’re not even going to look at the box score because it was just that bad. So much so, that the Rockies just walloped Sanmartin back to Triple-A.

 

“He needs to go pitch in Triple-A and get his confidence back,” Reds manager David Bell said. “That’s what it’s all about. He’s going to get back here. It’s actually really normal for a young player to get here and things don’t go well and you lose your confidence.”

 

And if that wasn’t enough, the Reds now have to face a Brewers team that will just win at whatever cost because they’re good and have one of the best rotations in baseball. Milwaukee will carry a five-game winning streak into this one after beating the Chicago Cubs 9-1 at home and showing that Eric Lauer may be the next lethal arm to join the rotation.

After getting 13 strikeouts against Philadelphia in his last start, Lauer followed that with 11 against the Cubs at home.

"A lot of it has to do with just confidence,” he said. “A lot of confidence in all my pitches right now. A lot of confidence in the way that I'm driving down the mound, the way games are being called. I’m just very confident with everything I am throwing up there."

Brandon Woodruff goes at it for the Brewers this time around against the one starter that has a win for the Reds, Tyler Mahle. Though his 6.45 ERA isn’t any better, he’s off to a 1-3 start. Woodruff is 2-1 with a 5.30 ERA that will likely go down after this start.

Nothing more needs to be said. Brewers in a rout. Brewers win 11-1

Reds are 3-15 as an underdog this season.

Reds are 31-45 as a road underdog the past three seasons.

Brewers are 104-73 as a favorite the past three seasons.

Reds:
Tyler Naquin (L) RF
Kyle Farmer (R) SS
Tommy Pham (R) LF
Joey Votto (L) DH
Brandon Drury (R) 3B
Nick Senzel (R) CF
Mike Moustakas (L) 1B
Matt Reynolds (R) 2B
Mark Kolozsvary (R) C
SP - Tyler Mahle

Brewers:
Kolten Wong (L) 2B
Willy Adames (R) SS
Christian Yelich (L) LF
Andrew McCutchen (R) DH
Rowdy Tellez (L) 1B
Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
Omar Narvaez (L) C
Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
Jace Peterson (L) 3B
SP - Brandon Woodruff

Batting average: Kyle Farmer -- .241

Hits: Kyle Farmer -- 19

Home runs: Brandon Drury -- 4

RBI: Two tied -- 10

Wins: Three tied -- 1

Saves: Three tied -- 1

ERA: Tyler Mahle -- 6.45

Batting average: Hunter Renfroe -- .244

Hits:  Willy Adames -- 20

Home runs: Two tied -- 5

RBI: Willy Adames -- 14

Wins: Five tied -- 2

Saves: Josh Hader -- 10

ERA: Corbin Burnes -- 1.93