Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds October 4 Betting Preview

Thanks to some interesting scheduling, the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds are in the middle of a six-game run against one another. After the Cubs swept the first three games in Chicago, the Reds secured a victory in Cincinnati in their last outing.

On Tuesday night, these National League Central teams will meet once again, with a little more on the line than positioning in the NL Central standings at the end of the season.

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Chicago Cubs

Not too long ago, the Chicago Cubs were a part of a three-team race to avoid last place in the NL Central. However, they found some form late in the season that has allowed them to move well out ahead of the Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates to avoid the possibility of a last-place finish in the division. Now, the Cubs will look to get back in the win column against the Reds after dropping a game to them on Monday.

Javier Assad will take the mound as the starting pitcher for the Cubs in this contest. Assad has shown some promise late in the year, as his record stands at 2-2 with an ERA of 3.62.

Look for Assad to work on his control issues in what should be his final outing of the 2022 season, as he has walked 19 batters in just over 32 innings of work, which is the only thing holding him back at this point in time.

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds had lost three straight games to the Chicago Cubs in Chicago over the weekend. They have bounced back with a win on Monday, a win that has them in a tie for last place in the NL Central heading into the final two games of their season.

Here, the Reds will look for a victory that will help them move clear of the Pittsburgh Pirates to avoid the dubious distinction of a last-place finish.

Luis Cessa is set to take the mound for the Reds in this contest with the Cubs. Cessa has gone 4-4 with a 4.76 ERA this season and will look for a better performance than usual here to end his season on a high note.

Cessa has pitched against the Cubs five times already this season but has yet to earn a decision in any of those games, with the Reds losing in four of those five matchups.

Keys To The Game

The number one key to this game for both sides will be the lineups that they put out for this matchup. With the season effectively being over for both teams, we could see a lot of faces that we do not normally see for the Cubs and Reds.

It could be the team that plays a lineup that most closely resembles their regular lineup that comes out on top of this game.

On the Reds side, in particular, simply playing with some pride will also be a huge key to this matchup. The Reds could finish in last place in their division if they play poorly these next couple of games.

Having the desire to avoid finishing at the bottom of the division should serve as motivation for the Reds here and on Wednesday.