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

The Reds visit the Windy City hoping to cool off a sizzling Cubs team.

Despite having the odds stacked against them facing the Washington Nationals in the nation’s capital, the Cincinnati Reds (22-26) were able to beat both Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg to capture a series they desperately needed. Surprisingly enough, the Reds have turned into road warriors.

Cincinnati has not dropped a series on the road in over a month. After being swept during a weekend series in St. Louis April 23-25, the Reds have gone 9-6 outside the Queen City. However, the Redlegs will face a great challenge this weekend in a ballpark that has been anything but friendly to them in recent years.

Since 2016 the Reds have an embarrassing 13-28 mark at Wrigley Field. Additionally, Cincinnati has been swept in Chicago four times over the past five years, and this Cubbies ballclub has been rampaging through the National League the last three weeks.

Chicago (27-22) has won 14 of their past 20 games, which has vaulted them within a half-game of the first place St. Louis Cardinals, who seem more interested in confiscated hats than winning baseball games in the National League Central. So far in 2021, the Cubs have done most of their damage at home, going 16-9 at the Friendly Confines.

In recent years the benches have cleared about as often as the Reds have won in Chicago. The first meeting between the two clubs earlier this month only added to the drama. The Reds took two of three from Chicago at Great American Ball Park as Amir Garrett continued to annoy the Cubbies and hurt Javier Baez’s feelings. But it wasn’t just tempers flaring that made the series memorable.

A remarkable 10 home runs were blasted between the teams as the Reds won the series finale 13-12 in 10 innings. If the wind is blowing out of Wrigley this weekend, don’t be surprised to see an encore performance of the aerial assault.