The Cincinnati Reds welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to Great American Ball Park on July 28, 2025, with hopes of snapping a recent cold spell and reasserting themselves in the National League playoff race. Sitting at 50–54 and trailing in the NL Central, the Reds’ 2025 season has been an uneven mix of thrilling flashes of potential and frustrating inconsistency, especially on offense. Injuries, including the loss of closer Alexis Díaz—now ironically with the Dodgers—have forced Cincinnati to rely heavily on younger arms and emerging talent. One of those emerging arms, right-hander Chase Burns, will be making his much-anticipated start in this game. The rookie was promoted after dominating Triple-A with an electric fastball-slider combo and elite strikeout numbers, and the Reds are eager to see how he fares under the bright lights against one of baseball’s most feared lineups. Burns brings high-octane stuff to the table, but his command can waver, and a lineup like the Dodgers’ will waste no time capitalizing on mistakes. The Reds’ offense, led by Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer, and Matt McLain, has been explosive at times but also frustratingly streaky. De La Cruz remains the team’s most exciting weapon—capable of turning any routine play into a highlight reel with his elite speed and raw power—but he continues to struggle with pitch recognition and strikeout issues. Veteran infielder Jeimer Candelario has quietly been the team’s most consistent hitter, providing key at-bats in the heart of the lineup, while TJ Friedl and Christian Encarnacion-Strand have chipped in during recent weeks.

However, the lineup’s lack of sustained production with runners in scoring position has haunted them, especially in close games, and they’ll need to be sharper in that area if they want to contend against a deep Dodgers bullpen. Defensively, the Reds have been average, with their infield defense providing the bulk of stability, though the outfield remains a concern in terms of range and positioning. Their bullpen, having traded Díaz, now leans on Lucas Sims and Fernando Cruz in the late innings, but inconsistency has been a major issue. The Reds have lost 12 one-run games since June 1, an indication that timely pitching and clutch hitting continue to evade them. That said, Cincinnati still boasts one of the youngest and most energetic rosters in the league, and playing in front of a home crowd that has grown increasingly supportive of the youth movement could help swing momentum. Manager David Bell has emphasized aggressive baserunning and defensive pressure, and that approach will be critical if the Reds want to rattle a precise pitcher like Yamamoto. The Reds also play better at home, with an OPS nearly 50 points higher at Great American Ball Park compared to the road, and they’ll look to lean into that home-field advantage to hang with L.A. While this is undoubtedly a challenging matchup, it’s also a valuable test for Cincinnati’s future—a measuring stick series to see how their next generation stacks up against an elite opponent. A strong outing by Burns and a few timely hits could give the Reds the lift they need to turn their season back in the right direction.