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ESPN+ will host Monday’s matchup between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH. Veteran left-hander Drew Smyly will be on the mound for the Cubs while the Reds will give the ball to RHP Vladimir Gutierrez.
The Cubs (16-24) got past the D-backs on Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak. Outfielder Ian Happ had a couple of hits in that game and is now hitting .348 with a .972 OPS over his past seven games. Rookie third baseman Christopher Morel has had a nice start to his MLB career, with a couple of homers through his first five games. Smyly has gone beyond five innings only once in seven starts this season, and he owns a 5.52 ERA this month.
The Reds (12-28) still have the worst record in baseball, but they have been a little more competitive lately. They took two games from the Guardians last week and then beat the Blue Jays in Toronto on Sunday. That victory was highlighted by a tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning by Toronto native Joey Votto. Gutierrez had a decent 2021 rookie campaign, but he is off to a really rough start in ‘22. He has posted a 8.65 ERA with a .317 opponents’ batting average through six starts (26 IP).
Cubs vs. Reds
Pitchers: Drew Smyly vs. Vladimir Gutierrez
First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
Cubs local broadcast: Marquee Sports Network
Reds local broadcast: Bally Sports Ohio
Live stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app with ESPN+
Moneyline odds: CHC -125, CIN +105
If you aren’t around a TV to check out this MLB matchup, you can stream the game via WatchESPN or the ESPN app. But keep in mind — you’ll need a subscription to ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ on the ESPN website, where you can get a monthly subscription for $5.99, or get the ESPN/Disney/Hulu bundle for $13.99 per month.