On a potentially damp evening of July 31, 2024, at the Great American Ball Park, the Chicago Cubs are set to challenge the Cincinnati Reds in a regular-season showdown, commencing at 7:10 PM under a forecast of light rain. Kyle Hendricks is scheduled to start for the Cubs. Despite struggling with an ERA of 6.946 this season, Hendricks aims to rebound. Across the diamond, Nick Lodolo takes the mound for the Reds, carrying an impressive ERA of 3.449.

In the current standings within the 2024 NL Central Division, the Cubs are positioned 12th with a 51-58 record and a 0.47 win percentage, marking themselves 5th in the division with a local record of 13-25. Having recently won 4 of their last 10 games, they are trying to bounce back from a two-game losing streak. The Cubs’ home and away records stand at 27-25 and 24-33 respectively, with a slightly better performance in night games (27 wins) compared to day games (24 wins). They have mustered 444 runs but have conceded 460.

On the other side, the Reds, in 10th position, bear a close 52-55 record, equating to a 0.49 win percentage. Holding steady at 4th in divisional play with an even split of 14 wins and losses, the Reds carry a decent momentum with 5 wins in their 10 latest encounters and a current winning streak of two games. Their home and away game split closely mirrors their overall balanced performance with a 27-28 and 25-27 record, respectively. They have excelled more in night games, winning 31 out of 52, and have scored 473 runs while allowing 429.

In terms of betting, the Cubs face a challenging match with slightly less favorable odds. With a point spread of -1.5 and an over/under tally set at 9.5, the game suggests a potential tight scoreline. Moreover, the AwayTeam (Cubs) Moneyline stands at +128, indicating a lesser likelihood of a win as compared to the HomeTeam (Reds) Moneyline at -151, portraying the Reds as mild favorites in this encounter.