Reds vs. Cubs Showdown Tonight: Starting Pitchers, Live Score, How to Watch & NL Central Stakes

First pitch in Friday’s matinee between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs is set for 2:20 p.m. ET (1:20 p.m. local) at Wrigley Field, with left-hander Andrew Abbott facing right-hander Colin Rea. Chicago opens play atop the NL Central at 35-21, while Cincinnati sits 7.5 games back at 28-29, looking to even a season series the Cubs currently lead 2-1. Key storylines • Rea seeks a rebound after allowing six runs to these same Reds last Saturday; Abbott limited Chicago to one run in 5⅔ innings in that game. • Chicago’s bullpen owns an MLB-best 0.96 ERA since May 14, giving manager Craig Counsell confidence if Rea can navigate five solid frames. • Seiya Suzuki rides a nine-game hitting streak (.417, 6 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI) and leads the majors with 51 RBI. His matchup with Abbott’s high-spin curve could decide early momentum. • Elly De La Cruz, who drove in four during last weekend’s 6-4 Reds win, headlines a Cincinnati lineup that ranks top-5 in steals and adds pressure on catcher Miguel Amaya. Game odds & weather Sportsbooks list Chicago as a –160 favorite with a 9.5 run total; winds are projected to blow out gently to left with temperatures near 72 °F—classic hitter-friendly Wrigley conditions. How to watch / stream • TV: Marquee Sports Network (Cubs markets), Bally Sports Ohio (Reds markets), MLB Network (out-of-market). • Streaming: MLB.TV, Marquee app (auth required), and authenticated cable apps. • Radio: 670 AM The Score (CHI), 700 WLW (CIN). Players to watch 1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Cubs – batting .302 with elite defense; he’s played every inning since Opening Day. 2. Jonathan India, 2B, Reds – OBP north of .370 and 8-for-20 lifetime vs. Rea. 3. Alexis Díaz, Reds closer – perfect 14-for-14 in saves, heavy slider usage. 4. Héctor Neris, Cubs setup man – part of that stingy bullpen; 20 Ks in last 12 IP. Stat nuggets • Chicago is 18-8 at Wrigley (.692), on pace for its best home mark since the 2016 championship season. • The Cubs are 28-10 when hitting at least one homer and 22-10 when stealing a base—15-4 when doing both. • Cincinnati is 5-2 in Abbott’s last seven starts, thanks largely to a 1.12 ERA in that stretch. SEO quick hits Start time: 2:20 p.m. ET Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago IL Watch: Reds vs Cubs live stream, Marquee Sports Network, MLB.TV Pitching matchup: Andrew Abbott vs Colin Rea Betting line: Cubs –160, O/U 9.5 Bottom line A surging Cubs bullpen meets an aggressive Reds lineup in a divisional showdown with postseason implications even before June arrives. Expect early fireworks, late-inning drama, and plenty of search traffic for “Reds vs Cubs live” as one of baseball’s oldest rivalries takes center stage on a sunny Chicago Friday.