Cincinnati Reds 2024 Betting Preview: Futures Odds & Prediction

The Cincinnati Reds’ stock is rising following a third winning season in the last four years, as they finished 82-80 in 2023.

Cincinnati has a talented young roster ready to compete in a wide-open National League Central. The Reds want to finish higher than third in the division for the first time since they won the NL Central in 2012.

MLB betting markets have certainly taken notice of the Reds, who haven’t clinched a postseason berth from a full regular season since 2013.

Reds Futures Odds

Win Total: 82.5
NL Central: +350
NL Pennant: +2200
World Series: +4000

Based on MLB odds, the Reds have their highest expectations in a decade. This year’s win total marks the team’s highest preseason over/under since having a mark of 84.5 before winning 76 games in 2014.

The Reds shattered last year’s win total of 65.5, marking the second time they finished over their win total over the previous three years. Before this recent stretch, Cincinnati had finished under its win total every year between 2011-20.

Reds Offseason Moves

Like most teams, the Reds focused on pitching improvements in the offseason to help support their promising young lineup.

Additions

Departures

Montas earned the Opening Day nod atop Cincinnati’s rotation after making 99 career starts across his first eight years, recording a 3.90 ERA. Due to health, he played nine games with the New York Yankees in the last two years.

Martinez is an option at the back end of the rotation or an extended relief role out of the bullpen. He started in nine of his 63 games with the San Diego Padres last year, posting a 3.43 ERA in 110 1/3 innings of work.

The Reds hope for more consistency from a rotation led by the hard-throwing Hunter Greene.

Reds 2024 Betting Prediction

Prediction: Elly De La Cruz over 39.5 steals (-110)

Only four players are listed in the stolen bases MLB betting market, but of course, Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz made the cut.

The talented young Reds’ infielder was electric on the base paths as a rookie last year, recording 35 stolen bases in 98 games.

According to Baseball Savant, he led the majors with a sprint speed of 30.5 (feet per second).

Projections are pretty modest for Cruz, though that’s likely due to a potential logjam, given Cincinnati’s infield options.

But Cruz should start at shortstop most days, and the Reds will lean on his legs as much as possible when he does get on base.

Six different MLB players recorded 40-plus steals last year; a group Cruz should join this year.

2024 MLB Team Previews & Predictions