Prime-Time First TD Bets — Sunday Night Football, Week 16
Alex Christenson
Welcome to another Friday edition of Best Bets in the MLB presented by FTN. We’re focusing on the first of a three-game series between the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals taking place in Busch Stadium.
Left-handed veteran Jordan Montgomery will take the mound for the Cardinals in Game 1, facing the Reds’ Ben Lively. Montgomery is not off to the best start this season, entering with a 2-7 record and a 4.27 ERA. Montgomery has faced the Reds twice since coming over to St. Louis and has given up at least 3 earned runs in each. We will look for the trend to continue in our favor here.
Best Bet
Cincinnati Reds F5 Team Total Over 1.5 Runs
(-125, DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Reds come into this series fresh off a series win against the Dodgers. They scored 17 runs across that three-game stretch despite being shut out Thursday. The Reds are top 10 in the MLB in F5 scoring per game (2.73) and have averaged 3.33 in the F5 over their last three. Cincinnati has the eighth-best OBP vs. LHP and 15th-best wRC+ versus lefties as well. Jordan Montgomery has allowed at least 2 runs in the first 5 innings in four of his last five starts. Friday, we’ll back Cincinnati to awaken the bats once again and knock 2 across early in St. Louis.
