Tuesday MLB preview: Brewers at Reds, Cardinals at Diamondbacks

The Brewers are in control in the National League Wild Card race—four games clear of the Cubs for the second spot and a half-game behind the Nationals for the first—but Sonny Gray (11-7, 2.80 ERA) should put the Reds in position to post a win at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday night.

Gray has had an excellent year flying under the radar in Cincinnati, particularly in the second half. Since the All-Star break, Gray is 6-2, with a 1.91 ERA and .164 opponent batting average, in 13 starts. The Nashville native is 2-0 in four starts against Milwaukee this year, with a 1.85 ERA and 3.09 strikeout/walk ratio.

Adrian Houser (6-7, 3.83 ERA) will start for the Brewers, and he's had a rocky September, at 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA in four efforts. He's had his fair share of struggles on the road this year, where he has produced a 4.42 ERA and .281 opponent batting average in 55 innings. Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez, second in the NL with 48 home runs, is 3-for-5 against Houser all-time with two home runs.

MLB free play: Reds moneyline first five innings (-120)

St. Louis Cardinals (90-67) at Arizona Diamondbacks (80-77), 9:40 p.m. ET

Jack Flaherty (10-8, 2.96 ERA) should deliver another fine start for the Cardinals, while Mike Leake (12-11, 4.38 ERA) can keep the Diamondbacks in the thick of it at Chase Field on Tuesday night.

Flaherty has been untouchable since the All-Star break, with a 6-2 record in 13 starts to go along with a 1.05 ERA and 5.35 strikeout/walk ratio. Arizona's offense has lacked punch at home this year (14th at 4.89 runs per game) and is without lineup linchpin Ketel Marte.

Leake will deal with a St. Louis offense that is 22nd in runs per game on the road this season (4.59). The home run ball has bit him more than any pitcher in the majors this year (40), but the Cardinals are just 24th in homers in 2019 (197).

MLB free play: Under