Cincinnati Reds vs. San Diego Padres Series Preview: Time to Turn Things Around?

The Cincinnati Reds have lost their last eight series. They hope to end the streak this week against the San Diego Padres.

Greg Kuffner | May 21, 2024

Apr 30, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) and San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) laugh during the sixth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

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Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are finally home after a long West Coast road trip, and they host the San Diego Padres for a three-game series at Great American Ball Park starting on Tuesday.

The Reds come into the series on a three-game losing streak and losers in seven of their last 10. The Padres are currently 25-25 and are 5-5 in their last 10 games. They are second in the NL West.

Andrew Abbott will be going up against Joe Musgrove in the first game of the series. Abbott comes into this game with a 3.06 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched. Abbott has not faced the Padres this season.

Musgrove boasts a 6.37 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched this season. He tossed six innings of four-hit, two-run ball against the Reds in early May, striking out nine. It was arguably his best outing of the season.

In game two of the series, Nick Martinez will take the mound for the Reds and Michael King will take the mound for the Padres. Martinez has a 4.23 ERA on the season for the Reds, but has been much better coming out of the bullpen than he has been as a starter. He has given up 31 hits and 16 earned runs in 21 innings as a starter, compared to just 10 hits and two earned runs in 17 1/3 innings as a reliever. He has also been a much better pitcher away from Great American Ball Park. Opponents have a .319/.353/.479 slash line against him at home, while they have a slash line of .186/.200/.237 against him on the road.

King has a 4.31 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 54.1 innings this season. He hasn't faced the Reds this year.

The Reds and Padres will face off in a matinee game at 1:10 ET on Thursday. Frankie Montas will take the hill for the Reds, while Matt Waldron will take the bump for the Padres.

Montas hasn't faced the Padres this season. He has a 4.37 ERA to go along with 25 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched.

Waldron is one of the only pitchers in Major League Baseball to still throw a knuckleball. He faced the Reds back on April 29. He gave up four earned runs through six innings, to go along with four strikeouts in a 5-2 loss to Cincinnati. Waldron has a 5.00 ERA with 45 strikeouts through 31 innings pitched this season.

The Reds desperately need a series win. Will a trip back home be exactly what they needed to snap their series losing streak?

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