The Cincinnati Reds close out their homestand against the Miami Marlins on Sunday, August 16, 2026, with first pitch set for 1:40 PM ET at Great American Ball Park. Nick Lodolo gets the ball for Cincinnati opposite Miami's Eury Pérez in what shapes up as an intriguing left-handed versus right-handed pitching matchup. With the Reds playing in front of a home crowd, this is an opportunity to bank a series result before whatever comes next on the schedule. Catch the action on Reds.TV or on the radio at WLW 700 AM.

Sunday Pitching Matchup: Lodolo vs. Eury Pérez

Nick Lodolo draws the start for Cincinnati. The tall left-hander has long shown the stuff to be a genuine rotation anchor when healthy, and Sunday's afternoon start at Great American Ball Park gives him a familiar setting to work in. How his command holds up early will set the tone for the Reds' afternoon.

Eury Pérez gets the nod for Miami. The young right-hander entered the league with significant hype attached to his name, and his ability to generate swing-and-miss with his fastball-changeup combination makes him a legitimate challenge for any lineup. The Reds will need disciplined at-bats to work deep counts against him and get into the Miami bullpen.

Cincinnati Reds Starting Lineup

• 1. Elly De La Cruz — SS
• 2. Sal Stewart — 1B
• 3. JJ Bleday — LF
• 4. Eugenio Suárez — DH
• 5. Michael Toglia — RF
• 6. Matt McLain — 2B
• 7. Jose Trevino — C
• 8. TJ Friedl — CF
• 9. Ke'Bryan Hayes — 3B

Keys to Watch for the Cincinnati Reds

Elly De La Cruz Setting the Table

De La Cruz leading off means Cincinnati's most dynamic weapon gets the most plate appearances possible. His ability to get on base and apply pressure with his speed is central to how this Reds offense functions. If he is reaching and running, this lineup becomes considerably harder to navigate for any pitcher.

Making Pérez Work Early

Pérez is at his best when he is operating efficiently and keeping hitters off-balance. The Reds' best approach is to be patient, take pitches, and force him into deep counts. Bleday hitting third and Suárez hitting cleanup gives Cincinnati legitimate middle-of-the-order punch to do damage if runners are on base.

Lodolo's Command in the Strike Zone

Left-handed starters who can locate both sides of the plate give hitters fits, and Lodolo has that capability. If he is throwing his slider for strikes early in counts, he becomes considerably more difficult to square up. A clean first few innings would go a long way toward keeping the Reds' bullpen fresh for whatever the late innings bring.

Matt McLain and TJ Friedl Providing Depth

McLain in the six-hole and Friedl batting eighth give this lineup more length than a lot of clubs can claim. Neither is a guy opposing pitchers can simply coast through. If Pérez labors getting through the top of the order, the back end of this lineup can make him pay.

Prediction

This is a winnable game for Cincinnati at home on a Sunday afternoon. Lodolo has the stuff to keep the Marlins off the board, and the Reds have enough lineup depth to scratch out runs against Pérez if they are patient. Reds 4, Marlins 2.