The Cincinnati Reds have won three straight series. Now they’ll hit the road with another west coast trip and this time it will be to face off against the National League West division leaders, the Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch tonight is scheduled for 9:10pm ET.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Hector Rodriguez – RF | Shohei Ohtani – DH |
| Elly De La Cruz – SS | Freddie Freeman – 1B |
| Sal Stewart – 1B | Tommy Edman – 2B |
| JJ Bleday – LF | Max Muncy – 3B |
| Tyler Stephenson – C | Teoscar Hernandez – LF |
| Eugenio Suarez – DH | Kyle Tucker – RF |
| Matt McLain – 2B | Hunter Feduccia – C |
| Carlos Jorge – CF | Alex Call – CF |
| Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B | Alex Freeland – SS |
| Chase Burns – RHP | Emmet Sheehan – RHP |
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Chase Burns | 145.1 | 2.79 | 1.16 | 50 | 171 |
| Emmet Sheehan | 95.1 | 5.29 | 1.29 | 30 | 108 |
| Links: Chase Burns’ Stats | Emmet Sheehan’s Stats | |||||
Chase Burns
The Reds are onto part three of the plan for Chase Burns in 2026 and that means limiting his innings in a much bigger way to get him through the end of the season. With three weeks remaining there’s only a few starts left, but their plan is to shorten his outings as he’s already at 145.1 innings this season. In his last start he allowed two runs in 5.2 innings to the Cubs in a blowout win by the Reds.
Right-handed hitters have not been able to do much of anything this season against Burns. They hit for a low average, they almost never walk, they don’t make contact, and when they do get hits they are almost never for power. Lefties are doing better, hitting for a better average, walking often, and when they do get hits they show solid power. Not shown below is that Burns is worse on the road (3.50 ERA, .694 OPS against) than he is at home (2.09 ERA, .593 OPS against).
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 214 | 39 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 63 | .191 | .229 | .265 |
| LHH | 378 | 79 | 15 | 3 | 13 | 40 | 108 | .237 | .318 | .416 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-seam | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 97.7 | 90.2 | 90.1 |
| Usage | 56% | 39% | 5% |
Emmet Sheehan
After a strong showing in 2025 in limited action as a starter where he threw 73.1 innings with a 2.82 ERA, Sheehan has struggled in 2026. His struggles were so much that he was optioned back to Triple-A in August and spent a month there before being recalled in September. Tonight will be his first big league appearance in five weeks. In that game he allowed five earned and gave up three home runs to the Red Sox.
The splits against Sheehan this season are noticeable. Right-handed hitters aren’t hitting for much average and they don’t walk much. When they find hits, though, they show good power against him. Lefties hit for a good average, but also don’t walk much. When they get their hits against him they show a ton of power.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 185 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 50 | .239 | .310 | .436 |
| LHH | 227 | 54 | 18 | 0 | 12 | 17 | 58 | .262 | .326 | .524 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-seam | Curve | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 94.4 | 77.3 | 86.5 | 85.5 |
| Usage | 43% | 11% | 30% | 16% |
When and Where
- Game time: 9:10pm ET
- Where: Dodger Stadium
- Watch: Reds MLB Channel, Reds.tv (in-market), MLB.tv (out of market).
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 84°, cloudy, 5% chance of rain
Notes worth noting
Roster moves
Well, if you saw the lineup above you noticed it included Ke’Bryan Hayes. The Reds activated him from the injured list today and optioned infielder Edwin Arroyo to Triple-A to make room for him. You can read more about both moves from our story earlier today when the news was announced.
Division Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Odds |
| Milwaukee | 88 | 56 | 0.0 | 100.0% |
| Chicago | 81 | 63 | 7.0 | 99.5% |
| St. Louis | 72 | 72 | 16.0 | 1.8% |
| Pittsburgh | 71 | 73 | 17.0 | 1.1% |
| Cincinnati | 69 | 74 | 18.5 | 0.0% |
| Playoff Odds via Fangraphs | ||||
Gonna kick off with a POLL QUESTION! As I’ve mentioned earlier on this RLN site, I will be making my annual trip from my home in Florida to Northern KY next week to celebrate my class of 1971 high school reunion. Will have the opportunity to take in a Reds game at GABP that week! Weighing my options as follows:
A. Reds versus Dodgers on Thursday afternoon (probable starter – Singer)
B. Reds versus Cubs on Friday night (probable starter – Burns, if he is not shut down)
C. Kentucky bourbon distillery tour
Feel free to comment with your recommendations on A, B, all or none!
C. You will enjoy that better. LOL
Yep! Especially if I elect to watch Singer pitch against the Dodgers!
Go from Illinois to cincy a coupla times a year and I was there last week for singer which I’ve seen 3 times this year,so I’m a big c as well
C!!!
A. Day games at GABP are the best.
Buy Scout Club seats. You can park in GABP garage for $30 and walk right into Scout Club area.
Greyhound Tavern in Fort Mitchell can offer you a wide range of bourbon selections.
https://www.greyhoundtavern.com/about-3
Thanks for the tips, Oldtimer! Familiar with Fort Mitchell area as well as Covington! In the old days (1970s), we used to park in the Covington area on the Kentucky side of the Roebling suspension bridge and walk to Riverfront Stadium!
My mom was a waitress at the Greyhound on the late 50’s and early 60′ s.they had a beer garden out back then. I practically grew up in there.
If you choose A, you’ll need C.
Sheehan has a high OPS allowed vs LHH. Brito is a switch hitter. Hayes is not. And can’t hit anyways. Tito can’t wait to put him back out there.
This game is up for taking, and Reds will take it, unless they left their bats in Cincinnati. Let’s go.
Elly takes one out! 1-0 Reds! I go back to the time our biggest rivalry was the Dodgers. Would be nice to beat em!
Would be nice if Bob sells the team before Elly becomes a free agent. Maybe a new owner can afford Elly.
Note to ownership group. If indeed the team is for sale it will be more valuable and desirable if Elly is signed to long term contract.
Elly gives the lead to the Reds early on….It’s the fourth time in a row the Reds scores in the first inning if I’m not wrong
It seems Elly and Sal would be two guys you could build around. Sadly they can’t/wont sign both.
Elly is hotter than hot.
Nice low pitch count 1st inning for Burns
Sheehan is inducing a lot of whiffs… wow…
The Reds are in the race for the most strikeouts, trailing only the Angels (by 5) and the PIrates (by 1). We stood at 1,361 before the game today.
Having followed this season, I thought we would be leading !
Hayes back to do what he does….a hanging slider & he swings right thru it for the SO…he cannot be the reds 3rd baseman on opening day next season
H-Rod hit hard that ball but old Reds killer Edman caught it in a nice play
WOW! What a pitch to Freeland.
Lovely 93 mph change-up and final pitch slider to Ohtani.
Really good inning by Burns… that K to Ohtani was sharp
Burns is dealing!
I think Ohtani guesses constantly. I know I’ve never seen a good hitter have so many horrible swing and misses.
Burns gets Ohtani to bite on his nasty slider for Strike 3, ending the Dodger 3.
Sal let one rip in the top of the 4th, but all was for naught … Still 1-0 Reds
Williamson on the Dodger 4th …
I think the long trip and time zone change affected a bit the Reds hitters… the amount of whiffs is remarkable…
Wow Burns was removed ealier than I expected…I think he was going to pitch at least 4 innings
RGB, I’m dying. 🙂
Nice play by Hayes.
And that’s where Hayes comes in handy nice play
Williamson and the Reds D shut down the Dodgers in the 4th … 1-2-3
MM looks so bad…
We are in this ballgame on the strength of Elly’s solo blast in the first, and it’s the only hit so far by either team.
Sheehan has cooled off the Reds offense absolutely… We´ll see if Williamson can keep holding off the Dodgers strong offense
Reds are facing probably the Dodger’s worst SP (pregame ERA of 5+) and have only managed one hit, the HR by Elly! The offense must have jet lag!
Another demonstration of the Reds making all-star pitchers out of nothing.
The Dodgers just pinch hit for their shortstop with 2 on and 2 out.
Dodgers score 2 and take the lead … official scorer call pending.
Glad Hayes is playing for his glove.
Ditto!
Incredible…The Reds defense horrible there… Hayes’ throw was bad …Williamson pitched to get out of the inning
yeah, another strikeout of Ohtani. The Hit By Pitch was killer.
Terrible throw.
Congrats to Jorge.
Hayes looks pathetic…
The more Hayes plays the less I care.
Man thought Hector had extra bases on that swing
Awright HRod … 1st and 3rd with one down.
Alright alright this kid can hit!
Solid contact Hector.
Hayes is batting .150 and throws the ball into right field. There is no way he plays before the 8th/9th inning the rest of the season.
H-Rod is hot …
Hector’s the real deal.
Dodgers want no part of Elly with men on base
They’re hoping he can do that for them when he signs with them in a few years.
Pick em up Sal!
Prediction: Sal is going deep.
They didn’t want any part of Sal.
He wants Bleday … and gives up the walk to Sal, bases loaded.
The Dodgers call up Vesia to face him.
Bases loaded.
Very nice at bat and challenge by Sal. Can we score here?
And they bring in a lefty to face Bleday. The wheels are turning.
Bad challenge by Sal , he leads the league in RBI he should want to hit.
I was thinking the same.
Why didn’t they just leave Hayes on the DL for the rest of the season…save him the embarrassment
Bleday against a LHP…. We’ll see if he can come through this time…
Meyers was on the bench …
Sheehan pitched very well and it wasn’t really that much a case of the Reds making him look better. They’ve done plenty of that this year but he earned his stat line. Hopefully, Bleday makes it look worse.
Tied his career best number of strikeouts of course. Not the first pitcher to do that against the Reds this year.
Dane Myers? No?
No pinch hitter? Odd.
Pathetic at bat Bleday. Pathetic.
Mr. Anti-clutch strikes again.
Can’t waste those opportunities.
Bleday vs lefty. Advantage Dodgers.
Another strike 3 call that should have been challenged. Why didn’t Bleday challenge? Geeze.
Bleday has been abysmal against lefties …typical inning of Reds offense wasting a nice chance to tie the game…Elly waiting for a fastball was a key in the inning
There has to be 2 stats this season that the reds lead the league….inability to get runner in from 3rd with less then 2 outs…..and they have to had set some kind of record for helping opposing pitchers set a career high in strikeouts ….another one tonight
I’m not a fan of Brandon Williamson. Hopefully, he gets out of this jam.
Williamson walking guys in this inning…not good
And right on cue. Ballgame.
Thanks for nothing Williamson. Dodgers sure were glad when he came in for Burns. Scoring at will now.
Now williamson hangs a horrible pitch…
Turn out the lights …
Well it’s one, two walks, and a homerun that wrecks the day for Williamson in the 6th.
Score 5-1 dodgers
Dodgers have 2 hits and 5 runs, only one of which was out of here.
Reds are losing this game in a bad throw for 2 runs and an awful pitch after two walks 3 runs and the offense cooled off
This is typical of Williamson, a ton of pitches and ton of runs.
The Reds have won the last 3 series = Cubs, Padres and Brewers. I don’t think that trend will continue.
Four Dodgers runs courtesy of a Reds error and two bases on balls prior to a homer. Not a winning formula.
This Halvorson guy is throwing bbs. His ERA is high, so maybe there’s a chance.
Starter’s ERA was 5+ and he dominated
Dodgers have just 2 hits both are by Teoscar Hernandez who has killed the Reds for years…especially multi-run homers…It’s irritating
One step closer at Eugenio knocks the cover off of one.
Beautiful shot Suarez.
I’m on the sign Suarez band wagon.
Eugenio makes it 5-2 …
Geno! Say what you will but if he hadn’t been hurt and missed time he’d have 30 home runs and 80 rbis by now not too shabby
Ofer night from the defensive dynamo that is Matt McLain.
I do not get his approach in the batters box. At all.
It’s a lot easier to understand the approach for almost every hitter when you accept the idea that it’s not about a choice they are making but that it’s almost always about them just not being able to differentiate pitches or recognize pitches quick enough to make the right choice.
Looks at the usual strike 1. No swing. Gets down in the count, doesn’t shorten swing but loves to chase the pitch off the plate. Wash, rinse repeat. His .188 avg speaks to that. Not sure what Valaika works on but it’s a bad approach. Pitchers know his approach and lack of zone awareness. Tough to watch in 900+ at bats since the start of 2025.
I see that you are not going to accept the idea that he isn’t choosing to do these things because he can’t identify the pitches quick enough.
He doesn’t love to chase pitches out of the zone. I bet he gets more frustrated than you do when it happens. Chris Valaika is not teaching him or anyone else to do that.
Ha. Yes he does love to chase pitches out of the zone. His adjustment of moving closer to the plate to compensate hasn’t had any positive impact. Up, middle, down, he chases. All day, all night.
He beat it out
Alright. Two hits for Jorge.
Hustlin’ Jorge!
If you had interest in winning this game why would you not pinch hit for Hayes?
+1000
Bingo. Meyers or Brito would be a better option than Hayes
Great question.
Remember the time when hitters hit .300?
He should have pinch hit for Bleday as well.
Great challenge Tito, except then you forgot to pinch hit Brito for Hayes so it became pointless!
Is this game out of reach ? I am baffled by Williamson returning for another one…
Another walk. Rinse. Repeat.
Carlos Jorge sure is fast. He looked safe in real time to me so I’m not sure what that umpire was looking at. Maybe his view of the ball was blocked but that seemed clear.
Just wave him on to first base if you aren’t going to pitch to him. It’s late. We’re sleepy.
OK, if we’re going to close the distance … the top of the 8th is it.
HRod greets the new pitcher with basehit up the middle ! (hit hard)
Silver Lining: Bullpen is going to get a day off.
Hector can hit. No ifs, ands or buts.
Rally time.
Tito learned his lesson. Now, let’s see if it would have made any difference.
This time m’man Meyers gets to pinch hit for Bleday …
Now 5-3, man on second with 2 outs, and SteveO at the plate.
One run closer.
Man, it’s a bad sign when Sal fouls off low 90s fastballs. Power outage at the wrong time.
3-1 count and Stephenson swing at ball 4. Smh. Everyone left the bats in Cincy except for HRod and Elly.
Dodgers have 5 walks and the Reds 1. That says a lot.
Got the deficit to walk-and-a-knock distance
Dodgers 5 runs on 2 hits. Unbelievable.
Bottom of the 8th… Gotta hold’em to have any chance.
SMH … Williamson back out there !
Have to think that was Reds best chance to at least tie things up.
A typical Reds rally of one run.
Just quit playing Hayes.
What is Reds W-L record with Hayes in lineup?
What does it matter what their record is with Hayes it has nothing to do with their record. Just admit it that they made a mistake he’s not a starting MLB player. You keep defending this guy like he’s an MVP. He’s always hurt, cant hit and has a terrible contract. I don’t care if its 30 games over 500 it has nothing to with Hayes.
Has a pitcher ever just put down the ball and walked off the mound ?
First-glove 3B Hayes has 2 errors today …that doesn’t help his cause at all
Krall deserves every bit of bashing for that abysmal trade. He got fleeced. Plain and simple.
Agree 100% ! Krall should be dismissed for that one move alone …..
Fantastic, heads up play by Elly. That was a thing of beauty to watch.
Nice play both Elly and Steve-O
Three unearned runs on the night for the Dodgers
That was about as well as could be expected when the bases are loaded with no outs.
6 runs on 3 hits.
Williamson, Hayes and Bleday all with lousy games.
Tarik Skubal and Yamamoto next starters for the Dodgers in this series …doesn’t look encouraging
To say the least
Yeah, this was one that the Reds needed, but then the element of surprise is always present… The Reds are batting in the 9th down by 3.
and that didn’t last long …
Brito gets 3 hits yesterday and we are still treated to Mclain and his fine bat.
Head scratcher, for sure. No doubt that Francona loves him some McLain.
Tito didn’t do much to win this one. (understatement)
If they had played one of Tito’s clean games, the Reds could have taken this game.
But, it was not to be.
After Williamson gave up 2, Tito kept him on the mound. then he gave up three, and Tito kept him on the mound. Did he also give up the 6th Run ? Tito didn’t manage this game to win.
14 strike outs and they still had a good chance of taking this one.
Our strikeout totals on so many nights/games is staggering. Not a recipe for success.
You’re right though. Awfully tough leaving the bases loaded with Bleday.
Dodgers won on just 3 hits , capitalizing the walks by Williamson and the bad defense by Hayes today…it’s a shame losing this game after Burns looked very dominant through 3 IP and just 44 pitches…the offense battled a little bit but got a lot of Ks
We beat ourselves today. Frustrating
How many strikeouts will the Reds have the next two days. They may be lucky to score a run in any of those games. I don’t care if I see Hayes play another inning for the Reds. He has no value for this team. Just cut him after the year. Sunk cost . What do the Reds do with Matt M? He will go through stretches where he looks like he is coming around then go 5 or 6 games where he has no clue. HROD looks like he will hit. Defense seems to be improving. Carlos sure can fly. If you don’t start him in games hope he is used as pinch runner.
“Tito didnt manage this game to win” has anyone paid attention to have over used the bullpen has been of late? Common sense says you leave Williamson in a long as he can go. Give your bullpen some rest.