Lester expected to start as Cardinals host the Reds

Updated Sep. 10, 2021 3:20 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Cincinnati Reds (74-67, second in the NL Central) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (71-68, third in the NL Central)

St. Louis; Friday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Tyler Mahle (11-5, 3.70 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 182 strikeouts) Cardinals: Jon Lester (5-6, 4.89 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 70 strikeouts)

LINE: Cardinals +118, Reds -138; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Nick Castellanos and the Reds will take on the Cardinals Friday.

The Cardinals are 37-32 on their home turf. St. Louis is averaging 4.0 RBIs per game this season. Nolan Arenado leads the team with 91 total runs batted in.

The Reds are 36-34 on the road. Cincinnati has slugged .430 this season. Nick Castellanos leads the team with a mark of .575.

The Reds won the last meeting 12-2. Sonny Gray earned his seventh victory and Nicholas Castellanos went 2-for-3 with two home runs and six RBIs for Cincinnati. J.A. Happ registered his seventh loss for St. Louis.

TOP PERFORMERS: Arenado leads the Cardinals with 91 RBIs and is batting .254.

Nick Castellanos leads the Reds with 63 extra base hits and is batting .317.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cardinals: 5-5, .242 batting average, 4.97 ERA, outscored by eight runs

Reds: 3-7, .229 batting average, 4.39 ERA, outscored by seven runs

INJURIES: Cardinals: Brandon Waddell: (covid-19), Justin Miller: (arm), Carlos Martinez: (thumb), Wade LeBlanc: (elbow), Dakota Hudson: (elbow), Jordan Hicks: (elbow), Ryan Helsley: (elbow), Jack Flaherty: (shoulder), Junior Fernandez: (shoulder), Max Moroff: (shoulder).

Reds: Art Warren: (oblique), Brandon Bailey: (elbow), Tejay Antone: (elbow), Jesse Winker: (intercostal).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.