The Cincinnati Reds face the Philadelphia Phillies in a four-game series opener on Monday, August 22 at 7:05 pm EST in Philadelphia. This follows their recent three-game series where the Phillies won two out of three in Cincinnati.

The red-hot Reds enter after sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates, creating breathing room in fourth place in the NL Central with a two-game lead over last-place Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the Phillies sit third in the NL East, eleven games back from first place, having won one of four against the Mets.

Pitching Matchup:

• Reds: Luis Cessa (3-1, 5.50 ERA, 28 K) - First start of season
• Phillies: Noah Syndergaard (7-8, 3.95 ERA, 76 K)

Cessa moves from the bullpen for his first start, having been perfect in his last two outings (3 IP, 1 BB, 1 K). Syndergaard seeks to repeat his recent success against Cincinnati, where he pitched seven innings with three runs on eight hits and six strikeouts in a win.

Game Analysis: The Phillies are favored at home given their stronger roster and playoff aspirations. While the young Reds team shows promise, especially after their recent sweep, Philadelphia's experience and home-field advantage make them the likely winners of the series opener. However, expect a competitive series with either team capable of taking two out of three games.

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