The Cincinnati Reds will travel to American Family Field on Friday night to begin a three-game series with the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers. With Cincinnati still clinging to slim hopes of a Wild Card berth and Milwaukee close to clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, this series has playoff implications for both sides. Before it starts, continue reading to get my Reds vs Brewers prediction for this huge matchup in the NL Central.
Our Reds vs Brewers Pick
- Pick: Brewers -1.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Cincinnati Reds vs Milwaukee Brewers
- Date & Time: Friday, September 26, 2025, 8:10 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers: Zack Littell (Reds) vs Quinn Priester (Brewers)
- Stadium: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
- Broadcast: FDSWI and FDSOH
Key Storylines
Pitching matchup
The Brewers will hand the ball to Quinn Priester, who enters with a 13–2 record and a 3.25 ERA over 152.1 innings pitched. He’s allowed just 18 home runs and struck out 128 batters, though he’s also issued 49 walks. In his starts this season, the Brewers have won the majority of the time and will look to do so again in this important contest.
Cincinnati will go with Zack Littell on the mound for this game. Littell owns a 10–8 record and a 3.86 ERA in 182 innings. He has struck out 127, walked 30, and allowed 36 long balls. While Littell is solid, he lacks the ability to rack up big strikeout numbers and could struggle against the Brewers’ lineup.
Recent Team Streaks
The Reds snapped a two-game losing streak by salvaging the final game of their series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cincinnati is a game back of the New York Mets for the final Wild Card spot in the National League and they need to find ways to win in Milwaukee this week.
The Brewers are at 96–63 and have already secured a postseason berth. They snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over the San Diego Padres in their most recent game. Milwaukee remains dangerous and motivated, with home-field advantage just a win or two away for them.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Christian Yelich | Over 0.5 Home Runs |
| Elly De La Cruz | Under 1.5 Total Bases |
| Zack Littell | Under 5.5 Strikeouts |
Betting Trends & H2H
- Milwaukee has won seven of the 10 games they have played against the Reds this season.
- The Brewers have won three of the last four games they have played against Cincinnati.
- The Reds are 36-42 on the road for the season.
- Milwaukee is 51-27 at home during the 2025 campaign.
Reds vs Brewers Model Projection
Score Projection: Reds 3 – Brewers 5
Win Probability: Reds 36%, Brewers 64%
Final Thoughts
I think that the Milwaukee Brewers are poised to get the win at home in the first game of this huge three-game series. Cincinnati really hurt its playoff chances by losing their last series to the lowly Pirates. I expect the Brew Crew to make them pay for that in this contest, as the Brewers should get an important victory for their chances of clinching home-field advantage.
