The Reds head to Tampa with their win streak in tow

TL;DR

The Cincinnati Reds, with a 14-8 record, head to Tampa to face the 12-9 Rays, both teams boasting negative run differentials. The Reds rely on strong bullpen performance while the Rays have a potent offense but a struggling pitching staff.

Key points

Cincinnati Reds have won 14 of 22 games this season
Tampa Bay Rays have scored 103 runs in 21 games
Reds rank 13th in defense while Rays rank 2nd worst
Both teams have negative run differentials
Rhett Lowder is the starting pitcher for the Reds in the series opener

Cincinnati RedsTampa Bay RaysMinnesota TwinsPittsburgh

The Cincinnati Reds mascot, Mr. Redlegs shows off his muscles during a Major League Baseball game between the Atlanta Brave and Cincinnati Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 2, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds have scored just 78 runs through their 22 games played this year, yet they’ve managed to win 14 of those and sit in 1st place in their division after their weekend sweep of the Minnesota Twins. The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, have seen their runners score 103 times through just 21 games, yet they sit in 2nd place in their own division with 12 wins after dropping two of three over the weekend against Pittsburgh. Not all baseball is played alike, of course. Tampa’s offense has come out of the gate in impressive fashion, their team wOBA ranking 11th overall, their team wRC+ 10th, and their 18.6% K-rate at the plate the second lowest of any team in baseball. The flip side to that, though, is that their 4.90 expected ERA through those 21 games is 5th worst as they’ve yielded 1.28 homers per game (5th highest) – and the collective 5.81 xERA from their relievers is the single worst of any bullpen unit to date. In many ways, the 12-9 Rays are the inverse of the 14-8 Reds, who have gotten where they are thanks to elite bullpen work and improved defense ( ranks 13th in DEF at FanGraphs while Tampa ranks 2nd worst) despite bottom of the barrel offense. Both clubs, though, have managed to win a lot more than they’ve lost despite both still boasting negative run differentials for the season, with Tampa mimicking the Reds with a 4-1 record in one-run games of their own. Something will likely have to give in this series, though that’s not a given. We could get a 9-6 win from Tampa followed by a pair of pair of 2-1 Reds victories, and that would just about sum up where both clubs are on the baseball result spectrum at this point in the galaxy’s history. will toe the rubber in Monday’s series opener, with (Tuesday) and (Wednesday) slated to follow. First pitch Monday at the renovated Trop is set for 6:40 PM ET, and the Reds will line up like so:

Q&A

What is the current record of the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays?

The Cincinnati Reds have a record of 14-8, while the Tampa Bay Rays are at 12-9.

How have the Reds managed to win despite low run scoring?

The Reds have relied on elite bullpen performance and improved defense, ranking 13th in defensive metrics.

When does the Reds vs. Rays series start and who is pitching?

The series opener is on Monday at 6:40 PM ET, with Rhett Lowder starting for the Reds.

The Reds head to Tampa with their win streak in tow

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

Related Articles

Jefferson blunt on McCarthy with Kyler a Viking

UNC’s Seth Trimble enters portal as he pursues extra year

5 increasingly bold predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft

Justin Jefferson: J.J. McCarthy needs to 'lock in' with Kyler Murray now a Viking

Vote now for The News Tribune’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week (April 13 to 18)

Way-too-early 2026-27 national high school girls basketball rankings

More from Sports