Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers Series Preview: Will Reds Take Down NL Central Leaders?

The memory that first comes to mind when thinking about the Cincinnati Reds playing in Milwaukee is Elly De La Cruz stealing second, third, and home last year.

The Reds are going to need that type of electricity for their upcoming three-game series against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers.

The Reds come into the series two games under .500 at 33-35 and in second place in the National League Central standings. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Brewers sit at 40-28 on the year and are sitting atop the NL Central. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games.

The Reds have really struggled with the Brewers of late. They were 3-10 against the Brewers in 2023 and 6-13 in 2022.

In game one of the series, Hunter Greene will get the ball for the Reds, and he will be up against Freddy Peralta for the Brewers.

The Reds skipped Greene last time through the rotation, giving him some extra rest. Greene is having one of his best seasons as a Red. He has a 3.61 ERA to go along with 84 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings. His last time out, Greene threw 6 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs, giving up four runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out eight.

Peralta has a 3.95 ERA on the season with 82 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings. He struggled with his command against the Detroit Tigers in his last start, throwing 3 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits, and walking five. He added three strikeouts.

Andrew Abbott will get the ball for the Reds and face off against Bryce Wilson of the Brewers in game two of the series.

Abbott is pitching to contact a lot more this year with his 3.28 ERA and only 51 strikeouts in 74 innings. The Reds defeated the Cubs 4-3 in his last start. He tossed five innings of one-run baseball, giving up five hits, walking four, and adding five strikeouts.

Wilson, like Abbott, is not a pitcher who gets many strikeouts. He had a 4.19 ERA on the season and 44 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched. He got roughed around his last time out against the Detroit Tigers. In 4 1/3 innings, he gave up seven runs on six hits. He walked two batters and struck out four.

In the series finale, it will be Frankie Montas on the bump for the Reds and Colin Rea on the hill for the Brewers.

Outside of his fantastic outing at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies, Montas has struggled of late, giving up three or more earned runs in five of his last six starts. He has a 4.55 ERA on the season with 44 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings pitched. The Reds have lost six of the last seven games with Montas on the mound.

Rea is having his best season as a big leaguer. He has a 3.31 ERA in 11 starts (13 games) this season, to go along with 48 strikeouts in 70.2 innings pitched. He faced the Toronto Blue Jays in his last start and tossed a gem, throwing seven innings of one-run, three-hit baseball. He did not walk a batter and struck out four. The Brewers are 9-4 in games that Rea pitches in.

The Reds face off against the Brewers in game one of the series at 8:10 ET on Friday night.

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