Donovan Solano and the Reds limp out west to battle the Giants after dropping 6 straight games at home

Previewing the pitching matchups: Reds vs. Giants

Reds starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft vs. Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb

Graham Ashcraft (3-1 3.51 ERA) gets the call in the opener facing Alex Cobb (3-2 5.62 ERA) of the Giants. Following three starts in which he allowed just one run in 19.1 innings, Ashcraft has been humbled in his last two appearances.

Tossing 9.2 frames, the Cincinnati rookie right-hander has been rocked for 10 runs and 17 hits. Hopefully, we'll see the same Graham Ashcraft who bewildered San Francisco last month at GABP when the 24-year-old picked up his first career victory by hurling 6.1 innings of shutout baseball.

The 2022 campaign has been a brutal one for Alex Cobb. Following his May 29th start in Cincinnati, he went on the IL with a neck injury. In 41.2 frames this season, he's been roughed up for 48 hits and has allowed at least 10 hits in two of his nine starts.

Reds starting pitcher Mike Minor vs. Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb

Left-hander Mike Minor (1-3 6.97 ERA) takes the mound Saturday afternoon while Logan Webb (6-2 3.26 ERA) toes the rubber for Gabe Kapler's club. Don't be surprised to see Giants' first baseman Darin Ruf welcome Minor to the Bay Area with open arms.

Ruf is 4-for-11 lifetime versus the Reds southpaw with a homer and five ribbies. Additionally, the right-handed-hitting slugger has drawn four walks against Minor and owns a .500 on-base percentage in 16 plate appearances.

Right-hander Logan Webb has been sensational over his last three outings. Tossing 19.2 innings, the 25-year-old has yielded just three earned runs while compiling 19 K's. In his only lifetime start versus the Reds, Webb tossed six innings of shutout baseball in May of 2021 at GABP.

Reds starting pitcher Tyler Mahle vs. Giants starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani

Sunday's matinee series finale will feature Tyler Mahle (2-6 4.57 ERA) opposing former teammate Anthony DeSclafani (0-1 7.71 ERA) of the Giants. The Cincinnati right-hander is looking to bounce back after a tough start against the Dodgers.

Obviously, there's no shame in being knocked around by LA, but Mahle fooled absolutely nobody in a Dodgers uniform. Battered for a career-high 12 hits, the California native allowed four hits and a homer in the Reds' 8-2 loss.

DeSclafani's disco days have been limited this year. He'll be making just his second start since April 21st after spending time on the 60-day IL with right ankle inflammation. The 32-year-old right-hander dominated his former teammates last year in the Queen City tossing seven innings of one-run baseball.

It will be a homecoming this weekend for Cincinnati Reds infielder Donovan Solano. The 34-year-old Colombian slashed a blistering .308/.354/.435 in three years in San Francisco before signing as a free agent with Cincinnati this winter.

Granted, it was a long wait for Reds Country, but Solano is immediately paying dividends after spending two months on the IL with a hamstring injury. In his first eight at-bats wearing the wishbone "C", the right-handed-hitting nine-year veteran is 4-for-8 with two RBIs and three doubles.

Hitting comes naturally for Donovan Solano. The 2020 Silver Slugger Award winner posted a 113 OPS+ as a member of the Giants. During his time in the Bay Area, he never hit below .280 and finished fifth in the NL in 2020 with a .325 average.

Reds manager David Bell has a good problem on his hands. With Solano and Jonathan India returning from injury, and the incredible season, Brandon Drury is producing, the Reds skipper will need to be creative in getting at-bats for the trio. However, it's clearly evident, that Solano needs to be in the lineup as much as possible.

Prediction: Reds vs. SF Giants

Reds Country, I have more good news and, unfortunately, more bad news. The Reds will snap their losing streak this weekend in San Francisco. Nevertheless, it won't be enough to secure a series victory as the Giants take two of three from the Redlegs.

Following the weekend at Oracle Park, the Cincinnati Reds will visit Wrigley Field to battle the Cubbies before returning for an extended 11-game homestand featuring three of the best teams in baseball in the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets, and Tampa Bay Rays.