NY Yankees vs Reds pitching matchups for three-game series in the Bronx

The Yankees (54-32, tied for 1st in AL East) begin their final homestand before the All-Star Break with a three-game series versus the Reds (39-45, 4th in NL Central) tonight.

With the calendar turning to July, the Yankees are undoubtedly looking for better results as well.

The organization is coming off its worst month of the season so far (14-13), losing or splitting five straight series with their last series victory at home coming via a three-game sweep of the Twins a month ago from June 4-6.

Following a seven-game winning streak in early June, the Reds have had their own struggles. They've lost 12 of their last 19 games and have dropped six series of their own.

When these teams met last year in Cincinnati, it was all Yankees as they swept the Reds and outscored them 17-7 in the process.

With the series beginning later tonight, here are the pitching matchups for this three-game set between the Yankees and Reds:

Yankees vs Reds pitching matchups

Tuesday, 7:05 p.m., YES: RHP Luis Gil (9-3, 3.15 ERA) vs. RHP Graham Ashcraft (4-4, 5.45 ERA)

Wednesday, 7:05 p.m., Prime Video: LHP Carlos Rodon (9-5, 4.42 ERA) vs. LHP Andrew Abbott (7-6, 3.41 ERA)

Thursday, 1:05 p.m., YES: RHP Marcus Stroman (7-3, 3.29 ERA) vs. RHP Frankie Montas (3-6, 4.23 ERA)

Analysis: Gil makes his first appearance back in the Bronx since the worst start of his career were he allowed seven runs on eight hits in only 1 1/3 innings on June 20 versus the Orioles. The 26-year-old didn't fare much better his last time out, giving up five runs on four hits and had more strikeouts (4) than strikeouts (2) for the second straight outing. Gil will undoubtedly get back to his winning ways and that could start here against a Reds team that has the seventh lowest batting average (.239) in MLB right now.

Opposing him will be Ashcraft. The right hander has struggled over his last eight starts, surrendering three or more runs in seven consecutive appearances. This includes his last time out where he conceded a season-high six runs on night hits in a 6-1 loss to the Pirates on June 26.The one positive for Ashcraft is he's had much better success on the road than at home, sporting a .370 road ERA and opponents hitting .258 against him, while he's ERA skyrockets to 8.20 with teams having a .325 OBA against Ashcraft in Cincinnati this year.

Rodon gets the call for the second game. The left-hander has struggled since earning his ninth win on May 10 versus the Royals. He's lost three straight outings and given up 20 earned runs on 28 hits in his last 13 2/3 innings pitched. Because of that, Rodon's ERA has ballooned from a 3.09 at the end of May to now a 4.42 with the All-Star Break rapidly approaching.

One of the best starters in Cincinnati's rotation has been Abbott. He's coming off the best month of his young career, as he finished June with a 4-1 record and opponents hitting only .216 against him in his previous 26 2/3 innings pitched. In his last home start versus the Red Sox, the 25-year-old southpaw easily had his best performance of the season. He allowed only two runs on four hits with a season-high 10 strikeouts in five innings of work in a 5-2 win over Boston on June 21.

Stroman will get the ball for the series finale on the Fourth of July. It marks the veteran right-hander's first start since he was visibly upset with the defense being played behind him in his return to Toronto last Friday. One area Stroman will look to improve in before the break is cutting down on walks. He gave up 14 free passes in 26 1/3 innings in June after giving up the same out in 37 2/3 innings pitched in May.

Opposing Stroman will be Montas. This marks the first start against his former team since he was a member of their starting rotation in 2022-23 before missing essentially the entire 2023 campaign with a shoulder injury he needed to have surgery on. In his first year in the Queen City, the 31-year-old right-hander is putting up better numbers than the nine appearances he had in the Bronx. This especially reigns true in May, where he lowered his ERA from 4.60 to 4.23 and was sensational in his last start, giving up only one run on two hits in six innings against the Cardinals on June 28.