We have reached the final series of the 2025 MLB season and the Cincinnati Reds (81-78) will try to slay some demons in Milwaukee. The Reds look to beat the Brewers (96-63) and put themselves in the best position possible to grab the final National League wild card spot by the end of the weekend. First pitch on Friday night starts at 8:10 PM EDT.
Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Milwaukee Brewers |
| TJ Friedl – CF | Christian Yelich – DH |
| Noelvi Marte – RF | Jackson Chourio – CF |
| Gavin Lux – LF | Brice Turang – 2B |
| Miguel Andujar – DH | William Contreras – C |
| Elly De La Cruz – SS | Sal Frelick – RF |
| Spencer Steer – 1B | Andrew Vaughn – 1B |
| Tyler Stephenson – C | Jake Bauers – LF |
| Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B | Andruw Monasterio – 3B |
| Matt McLain – 2B | Joey Ortiz – SS |
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Zack Littell | 182.0 | 3.86 | 1.10 | 30 | 127 |
| Quinn Priester | 152.1 | 3.25 | 1.21 | 49 | 128 |
| Links: Zack Littell’s Stats | Quinn Priester’s Stats |
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Zack Littell
Zack Littell has had a serviceable season, but unfortunately most of his good starts were with the Tampa Bay Rays before he got traded to the Reds. With the Rays, Littell had a 3.58 ERA in 22 starts, but with the Reds, he has a 4.62 ERA in nine starts. His trouble is still the home run ball, as he’s allowed 36 long balls this season, the most of his career. He has also pitched the most innings of his career, surpassing last year’s mark of 152.0 by 26 innings. Even though he gives up home runs, Littell doesn’t walk batters and is able to limit the damage most of the time. While he has a 5.57 ERA in September, he’s coming off a start against the Cubs where he allowed only two runs on three hits in 5.o innings last weekend at GABP.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 394 | 95 | 18 | 0 | 20 | 3% | 17% | .256 | .290 | .466 |
| LHH | 345 | 76 | 14 | 1 | 16 | 5% | 18% | .235 | .274 | .433 |
Pitch Usage
| Slider | Split | 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Sweeper | |
| Velo | 87.3 | 83.4 | 92.1 | 91.5 | 79.5 |
| Usage | 27.8% | 27.5% | 23.6% | 15.8% | 5.4% |
Quinn Priester
The Brewers have won the last 19 games that right-hander Quinn Priester has started, dating back to May 30th. Priester really burst onto the scene in 2025. He was used as a reliever when he first came up the league with Pittsburgh in 2023, and that is how Boston used him as well after he was traded to the Red Sox. However, the Brewers decided to turn him into a starter and it has paid off for them, with a 3.25 ERA in 23 starts and 28 total appearances. Priester’s not a high-velocity pitcher — his sinker averages 93.9 mph and his cutter just below that. What he is is a dominant ground-ball pitcher. He’s one of the best ground ball pitchers in the league, in the 95th percentile in MLB, according to Baseball Savant. His career GB% sits at 55.6%, and this season it’s even higher than that at 56.2%.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 336 | 74 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 6% | 21% | .239 | .290 | .400 |
| LHH | 294 | 62 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 10% | 20% | .238 | .321 | .387 |
Pitch Usage
| 2-Seam | Slider | Cutter | Curve | Change | |
| Velo | 93.9 | 86.1 | 92.3 | 80.9 | 88.4 |
| Usage | 42.1% | 27.3% | 19.9% | 9.2% | 1.6% |
Game Details:
- Time: 8:10 PM EDT
- Place: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
- TV: FanDuel Sports Network, MLB.tv
- Radio: 700 WLW (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: There is a roof, but it will be 66 degrees and clear in Milwaukee tonight.
News and Notes
Injury Updates
Austin Hays isn’t quite ready to play yet, according to what Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19 reported from the pregame media meeting:
Terry Francona said that Hays (back) swing during the game yesterday, but he wasn’t completely comfortable yet. He’s about to get some work done running on the field, and they’ll see where that goes.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) September 26, 2025
Nick Lodolo doesn’t think his groin injury is anything major:
Nick Lodolo (groin) is all clear to throw his bullpen this weekend. He didn’t feel the need to get any further evaluation. He doesn’t think this is anything crazy.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) September 26, 2025
Playoff Scenarios
NL Wild Card Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Fangraph’s Playoff Odds |
| Chicago | 89 | 70 | +7.0 | 100.0% |
| San Diego | 87 | 72 | +5.0 | 100.0% |
| New York | 82 | 77 | – | 78.2% |
| Cincinnati | 81 | 78 | 1.0 | 19.9% |
| Arizona | 80 | 79 | 2.0 | 2.0% |
The post Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers – September 26, 2025 appeared first on Redleg Nation.