The St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds will begin their 2021 MLB seasons on April 1 at Great American Ball Park. The visiting Cardinals will be trying to return to the top of the division after ceding the flag to the Cubs in the abbreviated 2020 season, while the Reds will be looking to earn a second straight playoff berth. For the Cardinals, ace Jack Flaherty will be on the mound, and he'll be opposite Luis Castillo of the Reds.
You can find the full MLB Opening Day 2021 schedule here. Information on the Cardinals-Reds opener, including live stream details, is below.
Cardinals vs. Reds
Date: Thursday, April 1 | Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Location: Great American Ball Park -- Cincinnati, Ohio
Live stream: MLB.TV | TV: Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports Ohio
Probable pitchers: Jack Flaherty (STL) vs. Luis Castillo (CIN)
Odds: STL +105; CIN -115; O/U: 7.5
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Storylines
Cardinals: The headline for St. Louis will be the regular season Cardinals debut of All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado. The Cards acquired Arenado this offseason from the Rockies in exchange for a generally underwhelming return package. While Arenado's recent batted-ball trades are somewhat concerning (last year's shoulder injury no doubt played a role), he remains an elite glove. Even with the loss of Kolten Wong to Milwaukee, the Cardinals figure to once again have perhaps the best infield defense in baseball. As for Flaherty, he'll be looking to put a disappointing 2020 behind him and get back to the Cy Young-caliber results he enjoyed in 2019.
Reds: How will the Reds handle life without the reigning NL Cy Young winner? Last season, Trevor Bauer gave the Reds an NL-leading 1.73 ERA across 11 starts, and needless to say his efforts were vital to the Reds' return to the playoffs. This winter, however, Bauer signed with the Dodgers. Once Sonny Gray returns from a sore back, the rotation should be in good shape, save for some uncertainty in the fifth spot, but Bauer's elite run prevention will be missed. That said, Castillo still has ace skills, thanks in part to one of the best changeups in baseball. He's been among the NL's very best starting pitchers over the last two seasons.
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