Cubs vs. Reds Prediction, Odds & Expert Picks: MLB Best Bets for Sept. 18
Cincinnati still holds a glimmer of hope in the race for the playoffs and sends its ace to the mound, which I’m factoring into my Cubs vs. Reds prediction. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET (FOX) on Thursday evening from Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
My MLB picks think Reds ace Hunter Greene is in a great position to put together a strong outing, and I’m on board with the Over on one of his player props.
⚾ Cubs vs. Reds expert picks & predictions
MLB odds subject to change.
- Moneyline pick: Reds (-125 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Run line pick: Reds -1.5 (+165 via bet365) ⭐⭐
- Over/Under pick: Under 9 (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
📝 Cubs vs. Reds preview & best bet
Track the latest MLB scores for line movement and matchup info.
🔥 Reds ML (-125) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Cubs enjoyed a well-earned celebration after locking up a postseason berth for the first time since 2020 with Wednesday’s win in Pittsburgh. Barring something unforeseen, it looks like the Cubs will remain in the National League's first wild-card spot. It wouldn’t be surprising if Cubs manager Craig Counsell decided to give a few of his regulars the night off after Wednesday’s celebration.
But it could be tough sledding against Greene no matter who the Cubs put in the lineup. He’s fanning 11.27 batters per nine innings while posting a 3.01 ERA and walking just 2.23 per nine innings across 17 starts this season. The hard-throwing righty has been dominant at home in 2025, registering a 4-1 record with a 1.69 ERA and 70 strikeouts over 53 1/3 frames.
Cubs pitcher Colin Rea has also been struggling against Cincinnati in two starts, pitching to a 10.13 ERA with four home runs and a .370 opponents’ batting average. He allowed six runs on seven hits over five innings during his lone outing at Great American Ballpark.
BetMGM, one of our best sports betting sites, is offering -125 odds on the Reds to win, which nets out to a profit of $8 on a $10 bet. The -125 odds come with an implied probability of 55.56%.
💰 Best Cubs vs. Reds player prop bet
Our MLB player prop odds tool shows the best odds for every market across legal sportsbooks in your area.
⬆️ Hunter Greene Over 15.5 outs recorded (-115) ⭐⭐⭐
Greene has been a completely different pitcher at home this season. He owns a 1.69 ERA and .145 opponents’ batting average in starts at Great American Ballpark, compared to a 4.81 ERA and .271 opponents’ batting average during road starts.
The fireballer has completed at least six innings in four of his last six appearances and is averaging right around six innings per start during nine outings at home in 2025.
A $10 bet on Greene’s Over here pays out $8.70 at BetMGM. The -115 odds come with an implied probability of 53.49%.
📊 Cubs vs. Reds odds: Sept. 18
MLB odds update live in real time.
📈 Cubs vs. Reds betting odds analysis
Cincinnati opened as high as -133 favorites at home, with some of the best sports betting apps offering them at -125.
🔢 Cubs vs. Reds stats
Season stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com.
| Cubs (88-64) | Statistic (per game) | Reds (76-76) |
| 4.89 | Runs | 4.49 |
| 8.49 | Hits | 8.28 |
| .250 | AVG | .246 |
| .428 | SLG | .391 |
| .750 | OPS | .707 |
| 3.82 | ERA | 3.97 |
| 7.84 | K/9 | 8.62 |
| 2.58 | BB/9 | 3.14 |
| 1.23 | HR/9 | 1.23 |
🚑 Cubs vs. Reds injury report
📺 Cubs vs. Reds game info
- When: Thursday, Sept. 18
- First pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET
- Where: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati
- How to watch: FOX
❓ Cubs vs. Reds FAQs
Who is favored to win Cubs vs. Reds ?
The Reds are -125 favorites to defeat the Cubs at home on Thursday.
What is the run line for Cubs vs. Reds?
Cincinnati is a -1.5 run line favorite against Chicago in Thursday’s matchup.
What is the Over/Under for Cubs vs. Reds?
The total for Thursday’s game between the Cubs and Reds is 9.
What are the best bets for Cubs vs. Reds?
My best bets for Thursday’s Cubs vs. Reds game are Cincinnati to win (-125) and Hunter Greene Over 15.5 outs recorded.
When is the Cubs vs. Reds game?
First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET on Thursday at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
How do baseball odds work?
When betting on MLB, the run line shows how many runs the favorite needs to win by in order to cash the bet. For example, a favorite of -1.5 must win by two or more runs to cover the run line, while an underdog at +1.5 must win outright or lose by one run to cover the run line.
Moneyline odds represent the payout for picking the outright winner (+200 means a $100 bet wins $200, while -200 means a $200 bet wins $100). Over/Unders let you wager on whether the combined total of runs will be higher or lower than the set number.
You can determine the payouts and implied probabilities for any wager - or convert odds to different formats - with our odds converter.
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