Venue: Great American Ball Park — Cincinnati, Ohio
First Pitch: 7:10 PM ET
Probable Pitchers: CHC — Shōta Imanaga (LHP) vs. CIN — Hunter Greene (RHP)
Weather Outlook — Cincinnati, OH
A warm, hitter‑friendly July night at Great American Ball Park:
Temperature: 82–87°F at first pitch
Wind: 8–14 mph blowing out toward left‑center
Humidity: High
Rain: Low chance Impact: One of MLB’s most HR‑friendly parks + warm air + breeze out = significant boost for power hitters.
Team Records & Recent Form
Chicago Cubs (52–41)
Last 10: 6–4
Road Record: Solid, above .500
Trend: Rotation stabilizing; offense showing improved consistency
Strengths:
Strong top‑of‑rotation arms (Imanaga, Steele)
Balanced lineup with contact + power
Improved bullpen efficiency
Weaknesses:
Occasional scoring droughts
Middle‑relief volatility
Cincinnati Reds (42–50)
Last 10: 4–6
Home Record: Slightly below .500
Trend: Offense inconsistent; pitching staff struggling to keep runs down
Strengths:
Young, athletic lineup
Speed on the bases
Weaknesses:
High strikeout rate
Bullpen inconsistency
Struggles vs. elite left‑handed pitching
Starting Pitcher Breakdown
CHC — Shōta Imanaga (LHP)
Profile: One of MLB’s most effective lefties; elite command and deceptive fastball
Strengths:
High strikeout rate
Excellent vs. right‑handed hitters
Rarely gives up hard contact
Weaknesses:
Occasional HR susceptibility in hitter‑friendly parks
Matchup vs. CIN: Reds’ lineup is right‑handed heavy, but they struggle vs. elite command lefties — advantage Imanaga.
CIN — Hunter Greene (RHP)
Profile: Electric velocity (100+ mph), wipeout slider
Strengths:
High strikeout upside
Dominant when ahead in counts
Weaknesses:
HR prone in Great American Ball Park
Command inconsistencies
Matchup vs. CHC: Cubs’ lineup has several hitters who excel vs. high velocity (Happ, Suzuki, Bellinger) — dangerous matchup for Greene.
Injury Report
Chicago Cubs
Cody Bellinger: Healthy
Seiya Suzuki: Healthy
Dansby Swanson: Day‑to‑day (minor ankle soreness)
Bullpen: No major injuries among high‑leverage arms
Cincinnati Reds
Elly De La Cruz: Healthy
Matt McLain: IL (shoulder)
TJ Friedl: Day‑to‑day (hamstring)
Bullpen: One setup arm on IL
Key Player Matchups
1. Elly De La Cruz vs. Shōta Imanaga
Elly’s elite bat speed vs. Imanaga’s deceptive fastball is the matchup of the night. If Imanaga keeps the ball elevated, Elly can punish mistakes.
2. Cody Bellinger vs. Hunter Greene
Bellinger handles high velocity well; Greene’s fastball shape can leak into Bellinger’s wheelhouse.
3. Seiya Suzuki vs. Greene
Suzuki’s ability to hit elevated fastballs makes him a prime candidate for extra‑base damage.
4. Spencer Steer vs. Imanaga
Steer’s disciplined approach could be Cincinnati’s best chance to work counts.
Series History
Cubs have won 7 of the last 10 meetings.
At Great American Ball Park, CHC is 6–3 in their last nine.
Games between these teams tend to be high‑scoring, especially in Cincinnati.
Betting Trends
Chicago Cubs
Cubs are 8–3 in Imanaga’s last 11 starts.
Under has hit in 6 of their last 9 road games.
Cubs perform well vs. high‑velocity right‑handers.
Cincinnati Reds
Reds are 3–7 in Greene’s last 10 starts.
Over has hit in 7 of their last 10 home games.
Reds struggle vs. top‑tier left‑handed pitching.
Game Odds
Chicago Cubs 9.5
Cincinnati Reds – 105
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, July 9, 2026
