MLB Game Preview: Milwaukee Brewers (76-44) vs. Cincinnati Reds (64-58)

Venue: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
First Pitch: 6:40 PM ET
Broadcast: Apple TV+ (Friday Night Baseball)
Radio: 620 WTMJ (Milwaukee), WLW 700 AM (Cincinnati)

Match Context

The Milwaukee Brewers, winners of 12 straight and owners of the best record in baseball, visit the Cincinnati Reds for a pivotal NL Central matchup. Milwaukee leads the season series 5–2 and is 34–24 on the road. Cincinnati, sitting third in the division, is just half a game out of the final NL Wild Card spot.

Milwaukee is 45–16 since June 1, winning nearly 74% of their games over that stretch. The Reds are 6–4 in their last 10 and coming off a shutout win over the Phillies.

Starting Pitchers

Cincinnati Reds – Nick Martinez (10–9, 4.49 ERA)

• 136.1 IP, 97 K, 1.19 WHIP
• 10 quality starts
• 4–0 in last 5 starts, allowing no more than 2 ER in any outing
• Has never recorded a win vs. Milwaukee

Milwaukee Brewers – TBD

• Brewers have not announced a starter
• Possibilities include Carlos Rodriguez or a bullpen game
• Jacob Misiorowski (IL) could return, but status remains uncertain

Key Hitters to Watch

Milwaukee Brewers

• Christian Yelich – 23 HR, .259 AVG, .446 SLG
• Joey Ortiz – 14-for-36 with 5 doubles in last 10 games
• Sal Frelick – 2-for-3 with 2 RBI vs. Pirates on Wednesday

Cincinnati Reds

• Elly De La Cruz – .277 AVG, 19 HR, 74 RBI
• Noelvi Marte – 12-for-39 with 7 RBI in last 10 games
• Miguel Andújar – Grand slam vs. Phillies; 4 RBI

Team Trends & Stats

Team	Record	Last 10	Batting Avg	Team ERA	Run Diff
Brewers	76–44	10–0	.292	2.80	+51
Reds	64–58	6–4	.247	3.10	+9

• Milwaukee ranks 2nd in MLB in runs scored (620) and team batting average (.259)
• Reds rank 9th in NL in team batting average
• Brewers have hit the Over in 7 of their last 10 games

Milwaukee’s offense is red-hot, and even with uncertainty on the mound, their momentum makes them tough to fade. Martinez has been solid, but the Brewers’ bats are likely to overwhelm.