The Chicago Cubs (88-65) will face the Cincinnati Reds (77-76) at Great American Ball Park on Friday night. The Cubs have clinched their first playoff berth since 2020, while the Reds are in a tight race for a Wild Card spot. This game is huge for Cincinnati as they aim to stay in contention. Continue reading to get my Cubs vs Reds prediction for this huge NL Central game.
Our Cubs vs Reds Pick
- Pick: Cincinnati Reds Moneyline
- Confidence: 4/5
- Get Your Bonus Bets: Bet $5 and get $200 in bonus bets INSTANTLY using our DraftKings Sportsbook bonus. Click the Claim Bonus button below to start!
Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly + Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+ 
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Promo Code: Click To Claim
Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly + Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Promo Code: Click To Claim
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds
- Date & Time: Friday, September 19, 2025, 6:40 PM EDT
- Starting Pitchers: Shota Imanaga (Cubs) vs. Nick Lodolo (Reds)
- Stadium: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
- Broadcast: MLB Network
Key Storylines
Pitching matchup: Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.29 ERA) has been consistent for the Cubs. Nick Lodolo (8-8, 3.30 ERA) aims to secure his first win since July 23. This is one of the bigger starts of Lodolo’s career, as he isn’t used to pitching in high-leverage spots with playoff contention hanging in the balance given that the Reds have struggled for most of his career.
Key Players: Michael Busch leads the Cubs with 29 home runs, while Elly De La Cruz leads the Reds with 19 home runs. Both teams are largely balanced when it comes to where their power production comes from and that is a big reason that both teams are contending for postseason positioning.
Recent team streaks: The Cubs have won four of their last five games, while the Reds have won three of their last four. We could see the Cubs take their foot off the gas late in the regular season, while Cincinnati has everything to play for down the stretch.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Michael Busch | Over 0.5 hits |
| Elly De La Cruz | Over 0.5 hits |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The season series between these teams is tied 5-5 going into Friday’s game.
- Cincinnati has won three of the last four games between these teams.
- Chicago is 42-36 on the road for the season.
- Cincinnati is 41-34 at home for the year.
- Chicago is 27-19 against NL Central opponents this year.
- Cincinnati is 20-23 against teams from their own division.
Cubs vs Reds Model Projection
- Score Projection: Cubs 4 – Reds 5
- Win Probability: Cubs 49%, Reds 51%
Final Thoughts
The Reds have the momentum and home-field advantage going into this game. While Lodolo has struggled to maintain any sort of consistency on the mound over the last couple of months, I think we see his best performance in quite a while. I will take the Reds to outperform the Cubs in this game and for Cincinnati’s heightened sense of urgency compared to their opponents to be a big reason for that. Cincinnati enters the day two games back of the Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot and they should do their part to close that gap tonight.
