Nationals vs. Reds Prediction, Odds, Probable Pitchers, Prop Bets for Tuesday, May 12

Two struggling starters take on the mound on Tuesday night in a National League showdown between the Washington Nationals and the Cincinnati Reds.

Miles Mikolas (7.44 ERA) is on the mound for the Nationals, and he’s looking to build on arguably his best start of the season where he allowed two runs across 5.1 innings of work in a win over the Minnesota Twins.

Mikolas will take on Cincinnati’s Brady Singer, who has a 5.63 ERA in eight starts in 2026. The Reds have won five of those games, but Singer hasn’t exactly pitched well, ranking in the 11th percentile in expected ERA, per Statcast.

Oddsmakers have set the Reds as favorites at home and the total is all the way up 10 (!) with these starters on the mound.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, my favorite prop bet and a prediction for Tuesday’s matchup.

Nationals vs. Reds Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Run Line

Nationals +1.5 (-163)
Reds -1.5 (+135)

Moneyline

Nationals: +123
Reds: -149

Total

10 (Over -110/Under -110)

Nationals vs. Reds Probable Pitchers

Washington: Miles Mikolas (1-3, 7.44 ERA)
Cincinnati: Brady Singer (2-2, 5.63 ERA)

Nationals vs. Reds How to Watch

Date: Tuesday, May 12
Time: 6:40 p.m. EST
Venue: Great American Ball Park
How to Watch (TV): Nationals.TV/Reds.TV
Nationals record: 19-22
Reds record: 22-19

Nationals vs. Reds Best MLB Prop Bet

Reds Best MLB Prop Bet

Elly De La Cruz to Hit a Home Run (+351)

Earlier today, I shared in SI Betting’s best home run props – Daily Dinger – why Elly is worth a bet against a struggling Washington pitching staff:

De La Cruz has been awesome in the 2026 season for the Reds, hitting .288 with 10 home runs and an .875 OPS. The Reds star is hitting .320 with one homer over the last two weeks, and he should be in a great spot to go deep against Washington.

Mikolas enters this start with a 7.44 ERA, and he’s given up nine home runs in eight outings in 2026. The Nationals’ bullpen isn’t much better, as it has a 4.84 ERA and has given up 28 home runs. The Nats rank 27th in the league in bullpen ERA and only the Houston bullpen has allowed more homers.

Elly has not homered against Mikolas in his career, but the star shortstop is hitting .333 against him, going 5-for-15 with a double, a triple and a .945 OPS. De La Cruz has homered five times against righties and five times against lefties this season, making him a pretty matchup-proof pick on Tuesday night.

Nationals vs. Reds Prediction and Pick

The Reds are a bottom 10 team in runs scored this season, but Tuesday’s matchup could be a “get-right spot” for this team.

Mikolas has a 7.44 ERA in the 2026 season, and he ranks in the 27th percentile in expected ERA. Not only that, but Mikolas has allowed at least two runs in seven of his eight starts, even though he’s completed five innings just two times. So, there’s a chance that the Reds will also get to tee off on Washington’s bullpen, which ranks 27th in MLB in ERA this season.

Offensively, the Nationals are No. 3 in the league in runs scored, so I expect them to get to Brady Singer early on Tuesday.

This season, Singer ranks in the 11th percentile in expected ERA and the seventh percentile in expected batting average against. He has an actual ERA of 5.63 and has allowed two or more runs in seven of his eight outings in 2026.

Simply put, I don’t trust either starter to blank the opposing offense through five frames on Tuesday night.

Let’s root for some fireworks right out of the gate in Nationals vs. Reds.

Pick: First 5 Innings OVER 4.5 (-166 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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