Hard-hitting outfielder Tommy Pham and the Reds look to take their frustrations out on the visiting Dodgers

Unfortunately, it's not going to get any easier, Reds Country. After being swept at Great American Ball Park over the weekend by the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cincinnati Reds (23-43) welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Queen City to conclude a six-game homestand.

Quality starting pitching was nowhere to be found for the Redlegs against the Brew Crew. Cincinnati's trio of starters, Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, and Mike Minor, all allowed at least four earned runs, and only the southpaw, Minor, completed six innings of work.

As play begins today, the Reds find themselves a season-high 20 games under .500 and in the basement of the National League Central 14 games back of the division-leading Brewers. Following a winning month of May, the Reds are just 6-12 in June, and what's equally disturbing, they're a terrible 12-20 at GABP.

The struggling Reds welcome the Dodgers to GABP for 3 games.

Of course, the Dodgers are not experiencing the same difficulties as their hosts. Sitting atop the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers (40-25) have the second-best record in the senior circuit and is a blistering 20-13 away from Chavez Ravine despite stumbling to a 7-9 mark through the first three weeks of June.

Rest assured, the LA offense will make the Reds' pitching staff work. The Dodgers' .328 team OBP is the second-best in the NL. Additionally, it would be wise for the Cincinnati catching tandem of Aramis Garcia and Chris Okey to get a good night's rest. LA's 44 stolen bases trail only the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins for theft supremacy in the league.

To say the Dodgers are dominant on the mound is an understatement. Their 2.91 team ERA is the best in the National League by a wide margin. Four members of the starting rotation have an ERA south of 2.82. In addition, they've yielded the fewest hits (454) and bases on balls (169) among NL clubs.

To absolutely no one's surprise, the Reds' .349 winning percentage versus Los Angeles is their worst against any National League oppnent over the last decade. After sweeping the four-game set at Dodger Stadium earlier this season, LA looks to hold Cincinnati winless in the season series for the first time since the 2017 campaign.

Previewing the pitching matchups: Reds vs. Dodgers

Reds starting pitcher Tyler Mahle vs. Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin

Tyler Mahle (2-5 4.46 ERA) gets the call in tonight's opener opposing Tony Gonsolin (8-0 1.42 ERA) of the Dodgers. It can be argued that Mahle is coming off two of the best starts of his career.

Over his last 15 innings, the right-hander was allowed just one run on eight hits while recording 22 punch outs. Since a May 13th outing versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mahle has compiled an excellent 3.07 ERA with 54 K's in 44 frames over seven starts.

How good has Tony Gonsolin been this season? He's undefeated in a dozen starts and has surrendered just one run over his last 18.1 innings. The 28-year-old right-hander has allowed just 32 hits in 63.1 frames this year and has been taken deep only four times. Impressive indeed.

Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo vs. Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson

Wednesday is La Piedra Day as Luis Castillo (2-4 3.33 ERA) battles Tyler Anderson (8-0 2.82 ERA) for Dave Roberts' club. Castillo looks to continue his dominance over the Dodgers.

Lifetime the Dominican right-hander is 3-0 with a sparkling 1.90 ERA in four starts versus LA. Tossing 23.2 innings, he's fanned a remarkable 34 Dodgers. All-Star Max Muncy might want to beg the Dodgers skipper for the day off. The left-handed-hitting slugger is hitless in 11 career at-bats against Castillo with a bewildering nine strikeouts.

It's not a misprint. Like his rotation mate Tony Gonsonlin, Tyler Anderson is unbeaten in eight decisions. In his last outing, the 31-year-old southpaw took a no-hitter into the ninth before reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani tripled with one out. Additionally, Anderson has surrendered one run or less in four of his last five starts.

Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene vs. Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw

Thursday's matinee series finale will feature Hunter Greene (3-7 5.26 ERA) toeing the rubber and facing future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw (4-1 2.08 ERA) for LA. Let's hope Greene finds some of the magic he had the first time he faced his hometown team.

Tossing 5.1 innings at Dodger Stadium, the 22-year-old rookie punched out six and topped the 100-mph mark on the radar gun an astonishing 39 times setting an MLB record for a single performance. Don't feel bad LA. The Cincinnati right-hander has fanned 85 on the season, which is good enough for eighth in the NL.

Hopefully, one day, Reds Country will be talking about Greene the way the rest of the baseball world speaks of Clayton Kershaw. Arguably the best pitcher of his generations, the three-time Cy Young Award winner is 3-1 with a minuscule 1.54 ERA in his last five appearances versus the Redlegs.