Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs Series Preview: Can the Reds Win Third-Straight Series?

The Cincinnati Reds have won nine of their last 12 games.

May 25, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene (21) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Reds go back home to Cincinnati for a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on Thursday night.

The Reds come into Thursday night's matchup winners in nine of their last twelve games. The Cubs have gone 4-8 over their last 12 contests.

The Reds are 29-33 and last in the NL Central while the Cubs are 31-31 and in second place in the NL Central.

Hunter Greene will face off against Javier Assad in game one of the series. Greene is having one of his best seasons as a Red, boasting a 3.44 ERA on the season to go along with 76 strikeouts in 70.2 innings. He is coming off a start against the Cubs where he battled through the rain, but gave up five earned runs in a loss last Saturday. Walks were an issue for him as he walked five batters. He added five strikeouts.

Like Greene, Asaad is having one of his best seasons as well. He has a 3.27 ERA and 61 strikeouts through 63.1 innings this year. In his start last Friday, he threw 5.1 innings in the loss to the Reds, allowing five hits and two runs. He walked three and struck out seven batters.

In game two of the series, Nick Lodolo will get the ball for the Reds. The Reds are 6-2 in games started by Lodolo so far this season. Lodolo has a 3.11 ERA to go along with 49 strikeouts in 46.1 innings pitched. Lodolo was on the mound in a 5-3 Reds win against the Cubs on Sunday, pitching six innings and allowing seven hits and two runs. He walked a batter and struck out three.

Justin Steele will get the start for the Cubs. Steele has a 4.10 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 27.2 innings this year. Steele last pitched on Saturday against the Reds, tossing five innings of five-run baseball. Four of those runs were unearned. Like Greene, Steele struggled with his command in the rain and issued four walks. He struck out five in a 7-5 Cubs win.

Andrew Abbott will face off against Ben Brown on Saturday. Abbott has a 3.39 ERA on the season with 52 strikeouts in 69 innings. He is coming off a performance where he pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, in a 13-3 victory against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. He walked a batter and struck out six.

Brown had one of his worst starts of the season against the Reds on Sunday. He pitched five innings, surrendering six hits and five runs. He walked a batter and struck out six in a 5-3 Reds win. On the season Brown boasts a 3.33 ERA and has 61 strikeouts in 51.1 innings.

Frankie Montas will get the ball in the series finale for the Reds, while Shota Imanaga will take the bump for the Cubs.

The Reds are 4-7 in Montas's starts on the year, but he comes into this series off his best start as a Red. Montas tossed seven innings of one-hit, no-run baseball, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He had a season-high nine strikeouts and walked two batters. Montas lowered his ERA to 4.00 on the season and has 42 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched.

Imanaga has quickly become a fan favorite this season in his first season in Major League Baseball. He has a 1.88 ERA in 11 starts to go along with 65 strikeouts in 62.1 innings pitched. Last time out, he threw 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits. Only one of those five runs were earned. He didn't walk a batter and struck out six.

The Reds will look to win their third straight series while the Cubs will look to win their second straight.

Game one of the series kicks off Thursday night at 7:10 ET.

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