Brewers vs. Reds Prediction and Odds for Saturday, June 18 (Can Ashcraft Stay Unbeaten?)

Two exciting rookie starting pitchers square off today as the 23-41 Cincinnati Reds host the 36-30 Milwaukee Brewers at 4:10 PM EST.

Milwaukee narrowly won the first game of the series 5-4 yesterday and Jason Alexander hopes to continue his strong start to his career. The 29-year-old is a late bloomer, but has a 2.16 ERA through three starts and allowed only one run in each of his last two.

At 24 years old, Reds' starter Graham Ashcraft fits the typical mold of an electric youngster. Through five starts, Ashcraft has a 2.22 ERA and the Reds have won all five games.

Can Ashcraft's unbeaten streak continue or will Alexander and Milwaukee spoil the party?

To find the value in this Brewers vs Reds matchup, let's first examine the odds from WynnBET Sportsbook:

Brewers vs Reds Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line:

• Brewers -1.5 (+145)
• Reds +1.5 (-175)

Moneyline:

• Brewers: -107
• Reds: -103

Total:

• 9.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Brewers vs Reds Prediction and Pick

Okay, that's it. Oddsmakers have to stop disrespecting Graham Ashcraft. The guy's got the goods:

After holding six of his seven minor league opponents to one run or fewer, the Reds realized they had to get him to the big leagues. Boy, oh boy, were they right. Ashcraft gave up four to the Cardinals in his last start, but prior to that surrendered just one run total in his previous three outings.

He's got elite command, walking zero batters in his last two starts, while his slider and sinker are wicked pitches with opponent batting averages of .143 and .105, respectively. The Reds are undefeated in his five starts as a $100 moneyline bettor would be up $673.

The Brewers are 23rd in OPS against right-handed pitchers over the last three weeks as they've lost 10 of 13. They should struggle against Ashcraft all afternoon.

On the other side, Jason Alexander has been impressive but has a command problem. His 4.32 walks per nine innings would be second-worst among all MLB qualified pitchers and his 4.59 expected ERA suggests he's been quite lucky to only have a 2.16 ERA thus far.

Cincinnati averages the sixth-most walks per game at home in the league and have won two of three as a home underdog. They'll be able to take advantage of Alexander's mistakes while Ashcraft mows through the Brewers lineup. Back the Reds to stay unbeaten behind their stud rookie.

Pick: Reds (-103)

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.