On the horizon: Cubs vs. Reds series preview in Cincinnati
The Chicago Cubs open a three-game cubs reds series at Great American Ball Park on Friday, July 10, with first pitch at 6:10 p.m. CT on Marquee Sports Network. Chicago (52-41) leads the season series 4-0 after sweeping Cincinnati in May, while the Reds (42-50) need momentum before the All-Star break.
The Cubs arrive riding an 8-for-11 stretch and sitting 11 games over .500, even after Thursday's controversial 3-2 loss in Baltimore denied a sweep. For Cincinnati, this weekend is less about playoff math and more about salvaging a first half that collapsed in bizarre fashion — from nine games over .500 in late April to flirting with double digits under .500 by July.
Key Takeaways
- Chicago swept Cincinnati 4-0 in a May series at Wrigley Field and leads the 2026 season series.
- Friday pairs Shōta Imanaga (5-7, 4.28 ERA) against Hunter Greene (0-1, 21.60 ERA), Greene's second start since elbow surgery.
- The series runs Friday through Sunday at Great American Ball Park before both clubs hit the All-Star break.
- Betting analysts split: Covers.com backs the Reds and the Over 9 runs; other handicappers favor Chicago on the moneyline.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong is Chicago's lone 2026 All-Star representative ahead of next week's showcase.
Why does this Cubs-Reds series matter before the All-Star break?
This is Chicago's first 2026 visit to Great American Ball Park and the final series of the first half for both clubs. The Cubs sit second in the NL Central at 52-41, seven games behind Milwaukee, while Cincinnati is last at 42-50 — 16.5 games out.
The Reds fell 1-0 to Philadelphia on Thursday despite loading the bases in the ninth, extending a run of seven home losses in nine tries. They were 20-11 in late April; now they are sellers at the trade deadline unless a home sweep changes the calculus. For more on strange sports swings, see our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage.
Who is starting on the mound Friday night?
Left-hander Shōta Imanaga (5-7, 4.28 ERA, 1.097 WHIP) makes his 19th start for Chicago. He held Cincinnati to one run over six innings with 10 strikeouts in the Cubs' 8-3 win on May 7 and is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four career outings against the Reds, per Baseball-Reference.
Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (0-1, 21.60 ERA) returns for his second start since March elbow surgery. He allowed eight runs in 3⅓ innings against Baltimore last Saturday but is 5-1 with a 3.38 ERA in nine career appearances versus Chicago. Saturday and Sunday feature more lefties: Javier Assad vs. Nick Lodolo, then Matthew Boyd vs. Andrew Abbott.
What do betting markets expect from Cubs vs. Reds?
Fans can watch Friday's opener on Marquee Sports Network and Reds.TV, with first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. The moneyline has been tight: Chicago around -115 and Cincinnati near -105, with totals hovering at 9 or 9.5 runs.
Covers.com analyst Todd Cordell backs the Over 9.0, citing Imanaga's 2.7 homers allowed per nine innings over the past two months and Cincinnati's second-ranked hard-hit rate against lefties since June. Cordell also favors the Reds moneyline, noting Greene has allowed just two runs over his previous three starts against Chicago. Other outlets lean Cubs, citing Chicago's 25-22 road record against Cincinnati's 21-26 home mark.
Can the Reds flip the script at home?
Bleed Cubbie Blue projects Chicago to take two of three, pointing to recent Cubs pitching and a Reds club that owned baseball's worst record through May and June. Imanaga shut Cincinnati down in May; Greene's velocity is there, but adrenaline cost him early against Baltimore.
Chicago's lineup ranks fourth in ISO and sixth in hard-hit rate since June 1. Pete Crow-Armstrong (.296, 21 homers) heads to Philadelphia for the All-Star Game on Tuesday — the Cubs' only representative — before the club resumes at Wrigley against the Minnesota Twins. For Cincinnati, a miracle sweep might delay the sell-off; anything less confirms the first-half collapse that made this once-promising club the NL Central's punchline again.