The Cincinnati Reds are set to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday evening at home, with a start time of 6:40 PM ET. The Reds enter the matchup with an 80-76 record, holding onto a playoff spot in the National League Wild Card race. They are currently tied with the New York Mets but have the tiebreaker advantage and stand a game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final Wild Card position.
Pittsburgh’s starting pitcher Johan Oviedo is back in Major League play after undergoing Tommy John surgery in December 2023. Oviedo, aged 27, has pitched in seven games post-surgery and remains a challenging opponent with his 5.0 walks per nine innings, a 3.52 ERA, and a 4.71 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) rate. The Reds hope to capitalize on his wild pitching style. Brady Singer will take the mound for the Reds. An impressive win would mark his 15th of the season, potentially placing him second only to Wandy Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers in National League pitcher wins this year.
Elsewhere in Major League Baseball, games this evening hold significant playoff implications. The New York Mets are taking on the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field at 7:40 PM ET, with Cade Horton pitching for the Cubs against Mets’ David Peterson. This critical game is nationally televised on TBS. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks are hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers at 9:40 PM ET. The Dodgers are still vying for NL West supremacy and seeding in the postseason, making their game against the Diamondbacks crucial.
In the American League, the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians will battle at 6:40 PM ET in Cleveland over the AL Central title and potential Wild Card spots. Currently, Cleveland trails Detroit by just one game and is tied with the Houston Astros for the final AL Wild Card berth. Meanwhile, the Astros are facing the Oakland Athletics in a late 10:05 PM ET game in Sacramento.
In the AL East, the Boston Red Sox face the Toronto Blue Jays in a crucial matchup. The Blue Jays hold a two-game lead over the New York Yankees for the division, and the Red Sox are barely hanging on to a one-game advantage over Cleveland and Houston in the AL Wild Card race. That game is scheduled for 7:07 PM ET.
Monday’s lineup is packed with exciting baseball action, with each game bearing crucial implications for both league standings and playoff positions. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait until the evening to enjoy these pivotal games, as no day games are scheduled.