Luis Castillo returns as the Reds welcome the Brewers to Great American Ball Park

Granted, it's later than we had hoped Reds Country, but Luis Castillo is making his season debut tonight. Hopefully, we'll see the La Piedra who returned to his former All-Star self in the second half of the 2021 season.

Following a horrendous first half that saw him go 3-10 with a 4.65 ERA, Luis Castillo rebounded to go 5-6 while compiling a 3.18 ERA in 14 stars to conclude the 2021 campaign. Despite leading the NL in losses (16) last year, the Dominican showed enough over the last several months of the season to remind everyone he can be one of the most electrifying starters in the game.

Discounting a tough August, La Piedra's ERA never eclipsed 2.35 in three of the final four months of the season covering 22 starts. In addition, beginning June 1st, the 29-year-old right-hander recorded 144 K's in 135.2 frames.

Despite its reputation as a hitters paradise, Luis Castillo was excellent in his GABP appearances throughout the 2021 campaign. Tossing 99 innings, he served up just six round-trippers in conjunction with a fantastic 3.18 ERA. If La Piedra can find similar results this year along the banks of the Ohio River, it will make all of Reds Country's summer a bit more bearable.

Prediction:

After dropping 23 of their first 28 games, can the Cincinnati Reds possibly win consecutive series? Unfortunately, the answer is no. However, the Reds will be more successful than their last meeting with the Brewers.

Look for the Brewers to take two of three from Cincinnati to conclude a 3-3 homestand before the Reds depart for a three-city, nine-game road trip that kicks off Thursday night in Pittsburgh.