Reds vs. Giants: Pitching preview, prediction, and more

The Reds open a pivotal homestand against the surprising Giants.

It took a comeback of near historic proportions, but the Cincinnati Reds return to Great American Ball Park in better shape than they left it. It’s tough to be disappointed in a winning road trip, but visiting two last-place clubs along the three city trek, a 5-4 mark, is the least of acceptable outcomes as far as the Reds are concerned.

Yesterday for the first time since 2007, the Redlegs (19-19) battled back from a five-run deficit entering the eighth inning and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as they topped the Colorado Rockies 7-6 to salvage a split during the four-game set in Denver.

Entering play today, Cincinnati finds themselves 2.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. As the San Francisco Giants arrive in town, the Reds will be facing a formidable opponent to open a seven-game homestand in the Queen City.

All the talk in the offseason surrounding the National League West was the supposed two-team battle for supremacy between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Obviously, nobody consulted the Giants.

As play begins today, the San Francisco Giants (24-16) leads the NL West by a half-game over the Padres and two games in front of the Dodgers.  Not only are the Giants leading their division they currently have the second-best record in baseball.

Cincinnati and San Francisco will wrap up their 2021 season series this week. Since 2011 the Reds .594 winning percentage against the Giants is their highest mark against any National League club.

The last time the Reds dropped a season series to the Giants was during the 2015 campaign. At home, the Redlegs are 19-10 versus the Giants over the last decade, and it’s been 2016 since Cincinnati lost a home series to San Francisco.