Cincinnati Reds vs Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction – 8/22/2025
The Cincinnati Reds are set to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night at Chase Field in Phoenix. Both teams are still in playoff contention in the National League. The Reds are just outside of the three Wild Card spots while the Diamondbacks have more ground to make up. Here, I take a closer look at the opening game of this three-game series and make my Reds vs Diamondbacks prediction from the desert.
Our Reds vs Diamondbacks Pick
- Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks to win
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
- Claim Your Bonus Bets: bet365 promo code – ATSBONUS – bet $5 and get $200 in bonus bets guaranteed for this game!
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Cincinnati Reds vs Arizona Diamondbacks
- Date & Time: Friday, August 22, 2025, 9:40 PM ET
- Starting Pitchers: Zack Littell (Reds) vs Ryne Nelson (Diamondbacks)
- Stadium: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
- Broadcast: ARID and FDSOH
Key Storylines
Pitching matchup
Zack Littell is 9–8 with a 3.52 ERA and he will take the mound for the Reds tonight. He is coming off a strong performance where he allowed just one run over six innings in his previous start. Littell has struggled historically against the Diamondbacks and has a 7.99 ERA in his career against them.
Ryne Nelson is 6–3 and has a 3.58 ERA in 2025. He will start for Arizona in this contest. He has been effective this season and is aiming to help his team get a huge win here. Nelson’s consistency has been a key factor in the Diamondbacks hanging around in the playoff race.
Key Players
- Noelvi Marte (Reds): Marte is currently on an 11-game hitting streak and he has been a consistent offensive contributor.
- Elly De La Cruz (Reds): De La Cruz is a constant threat on the base paths and at the plate and he will need to be great to help the Reds get a win here.
Recent team streaks
- The Reds had a three-game winning streak snapped when they lost to the Los Angeles Angels in their last game.
- Arizona has won two games in a row coming into this series. They took two out of three games against the Cleveland Guardians.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Noelvi Marte | Over 0.5 RBIs |
| Elly De La Cruz | Over 0.5 Stolen Bases |
| Ryne Nelson | Over 5.5 Strikeouts |
| Ketel Marte | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Reds lead the season series against the Diamondbacks 3-0 going into this series opener.
- Cincinnati is 31-32 on the road so far this season.
- Arizona is 32-31 at home heading into this matchup.
Reds vs Diamondbacks Model Projection
- Score Projection: Reds 4 – Diamondbacks 5
- Win Probability: Reds 45.5%, Diamondbacks 54.5%
Final Thoughts
The Reds have been playing well recently. But they are at a disadvantage in the starting pitching department in this game. Nelson should help the Diamondbacks get a win in this contest that they desperately need to help their hopes of getting back into the Wild Card race. I’ll take the snakes to win this game on the moneyline.
