The Cincinnati Reds wrap up their road series against the Washington Nationals on Sunday, August 9, 2026, with first pitch scheduled for 12:15 PM ET at Nationals Park. Brady Singer gets the ball for Cincinnati against Washington's Brad Lord in a midday matinee that airs on Peacock/NBCSN and WLW 700 AM back home in Cincinnati. With the dog days of August in full swing, every game in the standings carries weight, and the Reds will be looking to take care of business before heading into the next stretch of their schedule.
Pitching Matchup: Brady Singer vs. Brad Lord
Brady Singer draws the Sunday start for Cincinnati. Singer is a ground-ball-oriented right-hander who works the bottom of the zone and generates contact early in counts — the kind of pitcher who can keep a lineup off-balance when his sinker is working. On a warm August afternoon in Washington, his ability to limit hard contact and eat innings efficiently will be the baseline the Reds need to stay competitive in this one.
Opposing him is Brad Lord, who takes the mound for the Nationals. Lord is a younger arm in Washington's rotation, and this matchup represents the kind of opportunity Cincinnati's lineup should circle. The Nationals are a club still in the process of building, and Lord is a pitcher the Reds will be looking to test early and often.
Keys to Watch for the Cincinnati Reds
- Singer's command early: If Singer can establish his fastball down in the zone and keep Washington's hitters from working deep counts, Cincinnati has the formula to let him work deep into this game. Road starts require efficiency, and Singer is capable of delivering that.
- Reds offense against a young arm: Lord is not yet a proven commodity at the big-league level. Cincinnati's lineup needs to work disciplined at-bats, lay off the borderline stuff, and capitalize when Lord gets behind in counts. Patient offense wins these matchups.
- Bullpen management: A 12:15 PM start on a Sunday means the Reds' bullpen will be asked to close things out with the full week ahead in mind. Manager decisions on when to pull Singer — and who follows him — could shape the outcome as much as anything that happens in the first six innings.
- Defensive execution: Day games on the road can produce sloppy baseball. Cincinnati needs to play clean, minimize errors, and not give the Nationals free opportunities to extend innings.
Game Prediction
This is a winnable game for Cincinnati. Singer is a reliable starter capable of keeping the Reds in the ballgame, and facing a developing arm like Lord should give the offense room to do some damage. Washington's lineup is not without threats, so Singer cannot be complacent, but the edge here belongs to the Reds if their offense does its job early. Look for Cincinnati to get at least one crooked number on the board against Lord in the first few innings and hold on from there.
Reds win, 5-3.
Catch the action on Peacock/NBCSN or listen on WLW 700 AM. First pitch from Nationals Park is set for 12:15 PM ET on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
