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

The Reds conclude a nine-game road trek with a trip to Pittsburgh.

Let’s take a deep breath, Reds Country.  The Cincinnati Reds (75-69) have 18 games remaining on their schedule, and they control their own destiny. Let’s be honest, if we were given such a scenario before the season, everyone in the Queen City would be onboard.

It goes without saying, the Redlegs have placed themselves in an easily avoidable situation. As a result of losing six consecutive series and 12 of their last 18 contests, Cincinnati has chosen the road most difficult to qualify for October, but not all is lost.

As play begins today, the Reds lead the race for the final National League Wild Card spot by a half-game over the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals. Baseball-Reference is still fairly confident in the Redlegs, giving them a 63.4% chance of claiming the final playoff slot in the senior circuit.

This will be just Cincinnati’s second visit to the Steel City in 2021. So how long has it been since the Reds played a game in PNC Park? The last time the Reds visited the Pirates, Nick Senzel was in the starting lineup and batting lead off.

As the Reds attempt to capture their first series victory in nearly a month, there’s no doubt they’ll keep a watchful eye on the scoreboard as the Padres are visiting the Bay Area to tangle with the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants. At the same time, the Cardinals are in the Big Apple for a set with the New York Mets.

This season, Cincinnati has dominated the Pirates (52-91), winning nine of the 10 games between the two clubs. The Redlegs took two of three from the Bucs at PNC Park in May, and with one more win, they will clinch their second straight season series victory over the Pirates.