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Cincinnati Reds shortstop Matt McLain (9), bench coach Jeff Pickler and shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) review notes during spring training workouts. Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

MLB futures: Can the Cincinnati Reds hit the Over for wins by the end of April?

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 3/18/24

At this point in the countdown to regular-season baseball, fans are very familiar with which teams oddsmakers are favoring to be good in 2024. But in scouring sportsbooks for win total prop bets, Yardbarker noticed one team that hasn't gotten a ton of press but has the potential to start off the season surprisingly well.

Enter, the Cincinnati Reds. A team that has missed the postseason nine out of the last 20 seasons, but impressed last year when they ended their campaign with 82 wins and only narrowly missed out on a playoff berth.

David Bell's team is listed at DraftKings behind the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals to win the NL Central this season, and it's a 45-1 long shot to win the World Series. And yet, DK has set the over/under for wins through the end of April at 15.5 and is favoring the Over at -135 odds. With 31 games happening within that span, DK favors Cincinnati to win more than half of their games to kick off the season.

Do you share DK's confidence in the Reds starting their 2024 season off above .500? Here's a look at whether the Over could hit.

"We're talking about the team that I believe can win the NL Central in '24."@jonmorosi anticipates a big year ahead for Christian Encarnacion-Strand and the Cincinnati Reds. pic.twitter.com/V3kmsiIa63
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 14, 2024

A quick gander at Cincinnati's schedule to start the season suggests that winning 16-plus of those first 31 games is very doable. Aside from two three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies and road series against the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers -- all teams expected to be very competitive this season -- the Reds have a solid chance of stringing some wins together. They kick off the season with a home series against the Washington Nationals and will face other teams that didn't crack .500 last season like the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets.

Plus, the Reds played better on the road last season than at home. So trips to play the Phillies, Mariners and Rangers could end favorably for Cincinnati if that trend continues.

Another reason the Over could hit early? The additions the Reds made in the offseason . They were very active in bolstering both their starting rotation and their bullpen, which collectively gave up a staggering 821 runs last season. Cincinnati also retained most of its young core from 2023, so players like Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz can lead the way more confidently now.

.@Reds young star Elly De La Cruz discusses his rookie season and how he will look to put it all together in Year 2.#MLBTonight | @CY24_7 pic.twitter.com/Wu7Y4KxEQx
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 11, 2024

Beyond April, it isn't clear yet how the Cincinnati Reds or any other team in the MLB will look. For the first month or so of the season, however, it appears this NL Central squad could be putting a lot of tallies in the win column. We don't yet know if they can defy their long division or World Series odds, but they do look poised to hit the Over on wins through the end of April.

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