Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs Game Delayed on Monday

The Cincinnati Reds vs. the Chicago Cubs game on Monday night will begin in a rain delay. Earlier in the day, it was announced that the game would start at 7:10 ET as opposed to the original 7:40 time.

The Reds called right-handed pitcher Chase Petty up from Triple-A Louisville to start against the Cubs on Monday night. Petty is Cincinnati's No. 8-ranked prospect. You can read more about Petty here. Edward Cabrera is set to start for the Cubs. Chicago acquired him in the offseason from the Miami Marlins.

Series Notes

Mar 20, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) tags out Chicago Cubs shortstop Jefferson Rojas (93) in the third inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Reds and Cubs meet for the first time this season on Monday night, and it’s a matchup Cincinnati has quietly controlled in recent years. They went 8-5 against Chicago in 2025, securing their third straight season series win over the Cubs.

That momentum carried into their final meeting of the year, when the Reds swept a four-game set at Great American Ball Park from September 18-21. It marked their first four-game sweep of Chicago since 2018, and they even found ways to win tight, low-scoring games along the way, recording multiple 1-0 victories in a single series for the first time since 2002 at Wrigley Field. It was a big reason the Reds rallied to make the postseason last year.

The 2025 season series itself was anything but quiet. The Reds led in five of the 13 matchups by at least four runs, but won only two of those games, showing just how back-and-forth the season series really was.

Even with that recent success, the bigger picture at Wrigley Field hasn’t been that successful. The Reds are 469-501 all-time in Chicago, including a 93-108 mark since 2014, though they hold a slight edge in the rivalry overall since 2003, going 196-190.

Reds Playing Good Against Good Opponents

May 3, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) makes the throw to complete a double play as Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds (10) slides into second base during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Reds have played well against teams entering play with a .500-or-better winning percentage, going 15-7 on the season. Their .682 winning percentage in such games ranks fourth in Major League Baseball behind the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and New York Yankees.

Scoring First in Huge

When the Reds score first this season, they're 13-2, which is second to the Cardinals (14-2) for the best record in Major League Baseball. They've scored 27 runs in the first inning this season, which is tied with the Houston Astros for the fourth-most among all MLB teams.

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