Game Details
- Matchup: Cincinnati Reds (25-25) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (16-33)
- Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
- Time: 12:35 PM ET
- Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- TV Broadcast: Bally Sports Ohio, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
Team Overview & Recent Performance
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds have been on a strong run, winning five of their last six games and climbing back to a .500 record. They took the first game of this series with a dominant 7-1 victory, but fell short in a 1-0 loss on Tuesday. Cincinnati has won six of the last eight meetings against Pittsburgh, including four of five this season.
Offensively, Elly De La Cruz has been a standout performer, hitting .246 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. Will Benson has been red-hot, going 12-for-30 with five home runs and 11 RBIs over his last 10 games.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have struggled mightily, dropping four of their last five games and sitting at the bottom of the NL Central. Their offense has been historically weak, failing to score more than four runs in 23 consecutive games—the longest such streak in franchise history. However, they managed to snap their losing streak with a 1-0 shutout win on Tuesday, thanks to a stellar pitching performance from Bailey Falter.
Bryan Reynolds has been one of Pittsburgh’s few bright spots, tallying five doubles and six home runs this season. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has also been productive, batting .282 with seven stolen bases.
Starting Pitchers
Cincinnati Reds: Brady Singer (5-2, 5.01 ERA)
Singer has been solid, allowing three or fewer earned runs in seven of his nine starts this season. He picked up a win in his last outing against Cleveland, giving up three earned runs over five innings.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew Heaney (2-3, 3.02 ERA)
Heaney has been effective, posting a 3.02 ERA across nine starts. He received a no-decision in his last outing against Philadelphia, allowing just one earned run over five innings.
Key Matchups
Elly De La Cruz vs. Pirates’ Pitching
De La Cruz has been a game-changer for Cincinnati, and he already hit a grand slam off Heaney earlier this season. If he gets on base, his speed could be a major factor.
Pirates’ Offense vs. Reds’ Pitching
Pittsburgh’s offense has been one of the worst in MLB, ranking near the bottom in batting average and home runs. They’ll need to find a way to generate runs against Singer.
Bullpen Battle
Cincinnati’s bullpen has been top 10 in ERA, while Pittsburgh’s relief pitching has been inconsistent. If this game is close late, the Reds may have the edge.
Cincinnati has been the better team overall, but Pittsburgh’s home-field advantage and Heaney’s strong pitching could make this a close contest. Expect a low-scoring battle, with the Reds having a slight edge.
Game Odds
Cincinnati Reds – 130
Pittsburgh Pirates 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, May 20, 2025
