Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds preview, Sunday 7/12, 12:40 CT

Sunday notes…

• SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE, AGAIN: This is the 14th of the Cubs’ 30 series in which they split the first two games. They are 6-7 in previous third games, including 4-5 on the road. They are 4-4 overall when they have lost, then won, but are 4-2 on the road. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• RARELY ON SUNDAY: The Cubs are 2-6 on Sunday on the road, their second-worst road record on any day after 0-4 on Monday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• LIKE NIGHT AND DAY: The Cubs are just 5-10 in day games after night games, but they are 4-5 in day games on the road after night games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Peanuts Lowrey went 3-for-5 including a three-run homer and had seven RBI as the Cubs crushed the Leo Durocher-managed Dodgers 13-2 at Wrigley Field. It happened 80 years ago today, Friday, July 12, 1946.

Cubs lineup:

Reds lineup:

Matthew Boyd, LHP vs. Andrew Abbott, LHP

Matthew Boyd was outstanding in his last start, which was the first game of this road trip in Baltimore. He threw six shutout innings and struck out seven. In three starts since his return from the IL: 1.72 ERA, 1.340 WHIP, 13 strikeouts in 15.2 innings.

Today he has a chance to bookend the road trip with a good outing against the Reds, who he has not faced this year. Current Reds are batting .189 (10-for-53) against Boyd with no home runs and 20 strikeouts.

Andrew Abbott is having another solid year in the Reds rotation. He last faced the Cubs May 5 at Wrigley Field, where he threw 5.2 shutout innings, though allowing four hits and four walks. The Cubs won that game in 10 innings.

Current Cubs are batting .189 (20-for-106) against Abbott. Dansby Swanson (6-for-17, .353, two doubles, two home runs, four walks) has had good luck against him in the past.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Great American Ballpark.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.