Huge West Coast Series! Cincinnati Reds vs San Diego Padres LIVE MLB Pregame Show Chatterbox Reds
Huge West Coast Series! Cincinnati Reds vs San Diego Padres LIVE MLB Pregame Show Chatterbox Reds | September 8, 2025.
Ricky and Austin preview tonight’s game LIVE
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Tonight, the Cincinnati Reds (72-71, third in NL Central) face the San Diego Padres (78-65, second in NL West) in the opener of a three-game series at PETCO Park, with first pitch at 9:40 p.m. ET. This matchup promises an exciting clash as both teams vie for playoff positioning with just weeks left in the 2025 MLB season.
Pitching Matchup: The Reds send left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-7, 3.22 ERA) to the mound. Lodolo has been a reliable arm for Cincinnati, though his recent outings have been shaky, failing to pitch past the fifth inning in his last two starts, including a rough performance against the Dodgers where he allowed four runs in 4.2 innings. The Reds’ bullpen, which has surrendered 20 runs over its last five games, will need Lodolo to eat innings to avoid overtaxing their relievers. Meanwhile, the Padres counter with veteran Yu Darvish (3-5, 5.75 ERA). Darvish has struggled with consistency this season and, like Lodolo, has had trouble pitching deep into games recently. However, he faces a Reds lineup that ranks 24th in MLB with 141 home runs, which could play to his advantage if he can limit damage from power hitters like Elly De La Cruz (19 HRs, 80 RBIs).
Team Breakdown: The Padres boast a potent offense, batting .269 over their last six games with 31 hits and 18 runs in their past two. Luis Arraez leads with a .285 average, while Ramon Laureano, on an eight-game hitting streak, has two homers and five RBIs in his last 10 games. San Diego’s .253 team batting average ranks sixth in MLB, but their 127 home runs are the second-fewest in the league, suggesting they rely on contact hitting over power. The Reds, with a .248 batting average (16th in MLB), lean on De La Cruz and TJ Friedl (.265, 70 walks) for offensive spark. However, Cincinnati’s 1-4 record as underdogs in their last 10 games and 3-7 against the spread indicate struggles in tight matchups.