First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
Venue: Great American Ball Park — Cincinnati, Ohio
Venue & Weather Conditions
Great American Ball Park is one of MLB’s most hitter‑friendly stadiums, especially for left-handed power due to the short right-field porch.
Cincinnati Forecast (6–10 p.m. ET):
- Temperature: 67–70°F
- Wind: 8–11 mph blowing out to right field
- Humidity: ~60%
- Precipitation: <10% — clear and dry
- Impact:
- Boost for left-handed pull hitters
- Fly balls carry well
- Slight lean toward overs unless Lodolo dominates
Injury Report
Washington Nationals
- CJ Abrams — Healthy
- Lane Thomas — Healthy
- Joey Meneses — Day-to-day (ankle)
- Josiah Gray — OUT (elbow)
- Jake Irvin — Healthy and scheduled to start
- Hunter Harvey — Healthy
Cincinnati Reds
- Elly De La Cruz — Healthy
- Matt McLain — OUT (shoulder)
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand — OUT (wrist)
- TJ Friedl — Day-to-day (oblique)
- Nick Lodolo — Healthy and scheduled to start
- Alexis Díaz — Healthy
Team Records & Recent Form
Washington Nationals (20–22)
- Last 10: 4–6
- Road Record: 9–12
- Run Differential: -18
- Trend: Pitching competitive; offense inconsistent; bullpen shaky late.
- Yesterday: Lost 7–4 — bullpen collapse after a strong start.
Cincinnati Reds (22–20)
- Last 10: 6–4
- Home Record: 13–9
- Run Differential: +9
- Trend: Offense heating up; rotation stabilizing; bullpen improving.
- Yesterday: Won 7–4 — De La Cruz homered, Lodolo rested and ready.
Probable Pitching Matchup
Nationals — RHP Jake Irvin (3–3, 3.91 ERA)
- 2026 form: Solid mid-rotation arm; improved command; good road numbers.
- Strengths: Curveball generating weak contact; keeps ball down.
- Weaknesses: Vulnerable to left-handed power; struggles in hitter-friendly parks.
- Matchup notes: Reds’ lefties (Fraley, Benson) and switch-hitters (De La Cruz) pose threats.
Reds — LHP Nick Lodolo (4–2, 3.28 ERA)
- 2026 form: Breakout season; elite strikeout rate; dominant at home.
- Strengths: Wipeout curveball; excellent vs. righties; low walk rate.
- Weaknesses: Occasional HR issues when fastball flattens.
- Matchup notes: Nationals’ lineup is righty-heavy, but lacks consistent power.
Pitching Edge: Reds (clear)
Key Player Matchups
Nationals Hitters vs. Nick Lodolo
- CJ Abrams: Best matchup; handles lefties well; speed threat
- Lane Thomas: Power vs. lefties; could ambush early fastballs
- Keibert Ruiz: Contact-driven but limited power vs. elite breaking balls
Reds Hitters vs. Jake Irvin
- Elly De La Cruz: Crushes high fastballs; elite speed; HR/SB combo threat
- Jake Fraley: Power vs. righties; ideal matchup
- Spencer Steer: Patient approach; RBI opportunities likely
Matchup Edge: Reds lineup
Series History
- 2026 Season: Reds lead 1–0
- Last 10 Meetings: Reds lead 6–4
- At Great American Ball Park (last 5 years): Reds win ~60% of matchups
Cincinnati’s power bats have consistently taken advantage of their home park against Washington pitching.
Betting Trends
Nationals
- 3–7 in last 10 road games
- Over is 5–2 in last 7
- 2–5 in Irvin’s last 7 road starts
Reds
- 5–1 in last 6 home games
- Over is 6–3 in last 9 at Great American Ball Park
- 4–1 in Lodolo’s last 5 starts
Game Odds
Washington Nationals 9.5
Cincinnati Reds – 168
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, May 12, 2026
