The Cincinnati Reds will be looking to try and take the first step to salvaging a series split tonight after dropping the first two games in Milwaukee to the Brewers. With a win the home team will guarantee themselves a series win and they’ll remain unbeaten against Cincinnati in 2026. First pitch tonight is scheduled for 8:10pm ET. This game will only be televised on ESPN.
Starting Lineups
Starting Pitchers
Andrew Abbott
After the first six starts of the season Abbott had an ERA of 6.59. In the 11 starts since his ERA is 2.64 as he’s looked more and more like the guy who was an All-Star in the 2025 season. While the Reds played Milwaukee last week, Abbott didn’t face them. In his last start he allowed three earned runs in 5.1 innings against Pittsburgh.
The splits against Abbott are a bit misleading. Early in the year left-handed hitters are finding tons of hits against him, but that has all but ended as Abbott has turned his season around. Righties are walking nearly as often as they have struck out when facing him and they are showing more power when they do get hits. The lefty has been better on the road this season, where his ERA is 3.17.
Splits
SplitPAH2B3BHRBBKAVGOBPSLGRHH2876361123440.252.340.428LHH10324103630.253.291.358
Pitch Usage
4-seamCutterCurveSliderChangeVelo92.788.579.782.285.9Usage47%1%14%20%18%
Shane Drohan
Most of the season Drohan has been with the Brewers, but he did spend a little bit of time in the minor leagues early in the season. In his first outing of the year he allowed three runs in 2.2 innings. He didn’t pitch again in the big leagues for two-and-a-half more weeks. When he returned he stuck and has thrown 49.1 innings with a 2.74 ERA for Milwaukee working in both the relief and starting roles. He spent all of June in the rotation. His last start came against the Reds when he threw 4.1 shutout innings with three walks and five strikeouts.
The splits aren’t big against Drohan this year. The rookie has held righties to a low average, low on-base percentage, and very little power. Left-handed hitters are hitting for a high average, but they aren’t walking and aren’t hitting for power. Not shown below are his home and road splits, which aren’t big at all, but worth noting that all four of the homers he’s given up this season have come in Milwaukee.
Splits
SplitPAH2B3BHRBBKAVGOBPSLGRHH137274041335.220.292.350LHH8120710417.267.309.387
Pitch Usage
4-sm2-smCutterCurveSliderChangeVelo94.994.580.479.985.884.8Usage28%22%12%14%20%4%
When and Where
Game time: 8:10pm ETWhere: American Family FieldWatch: ESPNListen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)Forecast: They have a retractable roof
News and Notes
Only one Reds prospect in the Futures Game
Cincinnati will only have one player at this year’s Futures Game. Top prospect Alfredo Duno will be the lone Reds representative this year. He, along with Sal Stewart, were there for the organization in 2025. Duno was just promoted to Double-A and his first game was suspended by rain last night. With Dayton he had an OPS over .900 and 16 home runs in 65 games.
Reds fans need to focus on the game, not the franchise
Our buddy and Redleg Nation founder Chad Dotson has another column in Cincinnati Magazine this week and he goes into being a fan of the Reds and how that has dictated how it’s changed his fandom. Go read it.
The Reds defense has not been good
Jay Jaffe of Fangraphs took a look at team defense so far in 2026 and the Reds are nowhere near the top of the list. In fact, they are near the bottom of the list. Certainly not much of a surprise to those who have watched the team all year, and while there are (plenty of) reasons to have some skepticism about just how accurate defensive metrics are (much improved from the past, but still some questionable things happening) the Reds defense is not like some of the ones in the past which were among the best in baseball.
Division Standings
TeamWLGBPlayoff OddsMilwaukee52310.098.1%Chicago48385.572.1%St. Louis44387.535.5%Pittsburgh434310.534.1%Cincinnati394513.52.6%Playoff Odds via Fangraphs
