See Picks and Betting Line for Reds vs Dodgers – Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Cincinnati Reds

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Los Angeles Dodgers

As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to face the Cincinnati Reds on August 26, 2025, at Dodger Stadium, both teams are looking to make an impact in this National League matchup. The Dodgers currently hold a strong record of 75-57, while the Reds sit at 68-64, showcasing solid but not overwhelming seasons. In their last game against each other, the Dodgers secured a victory, continuing their momentum.

The matchup on the mound features veteran Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers, who boasts a remarkable 8-2 record and a stellar ERA of 3.13 this season. Despite his solid numbers, advanced projections suggest that Kershaw might face challenges moving forward, as his 4.23 xFIP indicates he may have benefited from a bit of luck thus far. He has started 16 games this year, projecting to pitch around 5.2 innings today. However, his projections show a concerning average of 5.4 hits and 2.5 earned runs allowed, which could pose issues against a Reds offense that ranks 17th in the league.

On the other side, Nick Martinez will take the mound for the Reds. With a record of 10-9 and an ERA of 4.59, he has started 25 games this season. While his control is commendable, his projections suggest a rough outing, allowing 3.1 earned runs and 5.6 hits on average today. Facing a potent Dodgers offense that ranks 2nd in home runs and 2nd overall in MLB, Martinez will need to be at his best to keep the game competitive.

With the Dodgers being favored with a moneyline of -185 and an implied team total of 5.14 runs, they are expected to capitalize on their offensive strength against a Reds team that has struggled to hit for power, ranking 23rd in home runs. As the game approaches, all eyes will be on how Kershaw and Martinez perform in this critical matchup.

Cincinnati Reds Insights

• Nick Martinez – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-130/+100)
  Nick Martinez has gone to his slider 6% more often this season (11.2%) than he did last season (5.2%).
  Explain: Because sliders are one of the most effective pitches to use, a pitcher who alters his pitch mix to use more of them will often see more success as a result.
• Noelvi Marte – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-235/+175)
  Noelvi Marte has primarily hit in the back-half of the batting order this year (72% of the time), but he is penciled in 2nd in the lineup today.
  Explain: The higher in the order a player bats, the more plate appearances he will get and the more opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits higher in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting lower.
• Cincinnati Reds bats jointly grade out 28th- in baseball for power this year when judging by their 7% Barrel%.
  Explain: Barrel% measures how often a player hits the ball at the optimal exit velocity and launch angle and is a terrific measure of underlying power.

Los Angeles Dodgers Insights

• Clayton Kershaw – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-105/-125)
  Clayton Kershaw’s 88.5-mph fastball velocity this year is in the 3rd percentile among all starters.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• Shohei Ohtani – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (-130/+100)
  Shohei Ohtani has been hot in recent games, raising his seasonal exit velocity of 94.7-mph to 97.3-mph in the past 14 days.
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Will Smith – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+120/-155)
  Will Smith hits a lot of his flyballs to center field (40.1% — 98th percentile) and will have a big advantage facing the league’s 9th-shallowest CF fences in today’s matchup.
  Explain: This player’s skill set matches up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• Los Angeles Dodgers – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-160)
  The Los Angeles Dodgers have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline in 10 of their last 13 games at home (+10.00 Units / 43% ROI)
• Over/Under 9.0 Game Total (-110/-110)
  The Cincinnati Reds have hit the Game Total Under in 77 of their last 128 games (+27.75 Units / 20% ROI)
• Ke’Bryan Hayes – Over/Under 0.5 Runs (+155/-200)
  Ke’Bryan Hayes has hit the Runs Over in 8 of his last 15 games (+6.40 Units / 43% ROI)