Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds (2026-07-12). Matthew Boyd vs Andrew Abbott at Great American Ball Park.

Starters — Matthew Boyd: 4.31 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 39.2 IP, 9.98 K/9, 2.72 BB/9, 0.91 HR/9. His last three starts: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BB; 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 K, 0 BB; 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 K, 4 BB. The trend is listed down, but the recent game was his sharpest of the three and the strikeout rate remains a clear strength. Andrew Abbott: 3.92 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 101.0 IP, 7.22 K/9, 4.01 BB/9, 1.43 HR/9. His last three starts: 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 K, 0 BB; 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 K, 5 BB; 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 K, 1 BB. The trend is up, and he has generally worked into the middle innings, but the elevated walk and home run rates can create volatility.

Teams — Chicago enters with a .746 OPS, 476 runs, a 4.34 team ERA, and a 1.28 team WHIP. The Cubs are 6-4 over their last 10 and bring the stronger offensive profile in this matchup, with better run production and a more efficient overall staff WHIP. Cincinnati has a .704 OPS, 391 runs, a 4.48 team ERA, and a 1.44 team WHIP. The Reds are 4-6 in their last 10, and their lower batting average (.229) and weaker run output suggest less margin for error, especially if traffic on the bases continues to be an issue.