After spending two seasons in the bullpen, John Gant has returned to the St. Louis Cardinals’ rotation with a bang, allowing just nine earned runs across his 10 starts, and he will look to keep the Cincinnati Reds locked down on Sunday.
Gant has found success by not allowing the big hit, giving up one home run in 50 ²/₃ innings and has avoided danger with a 1.60 ERA despite leading the league in walks with 34.
Cincinnati’s Wade Miley pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians on May 7, but the Reds have lost two of his three starts since. Miley has a 6.59 ERA, a .371 opponents batting average and is issuing four walks per nine innings in that span.
The Reds back up Miley with the league’s worst bullpen ERA while the Cardinals rank 22nd, this despite the Cardinals bullpen giving up the fewest home runs per nine innings in the majors.
With the Reds seventh in the league in runs per game and fifth in home runs hit per at-bat and the Cardinals lineup striking out the fewest times per game at home, there should be lots of contact made and plenty of runs.
The play: Reds-Cardinals total, Over 9 runs.