The San Francisco Giants host the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park on Tuesday, August 25, with first pitch scheduled for 9:45 PM ET. Adrian Houser gets the ball for San Francisco against Cincinnati right-hander Brady Singer in a regular season matchup that gives the Giants a chance to build at home. Coverage is available on NBCS BA and KNBR 680.

Pitching Matchup: Houser vs. Singer

Adrian Houser draws the start for the Giants. The right-hander is a ground-ball-oriented pitcher who works down in the zone and relies on contact management rather than strikeout volume. His effectiveness tends to hinge on limiting walks and keeping the ball on the ground, which matters at Oracle Park, where the ballpark's dimensions can suppress the long ball.

Brady Singer takes the hill for Cincinnati. Singer has developed into a reliable rotation piece for the Reds, featuring a four-seam fastball and a sharp slider that he uses to attack hitters on both sides of the plate. His ability to generate swings and misses gives Cincinnati a legitimate shot to keep this one close regardless of the setting.

Giants Lineup to Watch

San Francisco sends out a lineup with several players worth tracking. Drew Gilbert leads off from center field, followed by Rafael Devers at first base — a powerful middle-of-the-order bat hitting in the two-hole. Jung Hoo Lee slots in at DH third, with Turner Hill providing protection in left field batting cleanup. Drew Cavanaugh handles the catching duties in the five spot, while Nate Furman, Shay Whitcomb, Grant McCray, and Christian Koss round out the bottom of the order.

Cincinnati Lineup: Elly De La Cruz Leads Off

Elly De La Cruz sets the table for the Reds at shortstop, bringing elite speed and plus raw power to the top of the order — one of the more dangerous leadoff threats in the National League. Tyler Stephenson bats cleanup with Eugenio Suárez behind him as the DH. Ke'Bryan Hayes slots in eighth, and TJ Friedl finishes the lineup in center field. Matt McLain, working back from injury concerns earlier in his career, mans second base in the six spot.

Keys to the Game

• Houser's ground-ball rate: If Houser can generate weak contact and work efficiently through Cincinnati's lineup, he keeps the Giants bullpen fresh for a late-inning hold.
• Containing De La Cruz: San Francisco needs to limit De La Cruz's impact on the basepaths. When he gets on, he changes the dynamic of any inning.
• Middle-order production: Devers and Lee batting two-three gives the Giants a legitimate threat to do damage early. Getting Singer into trouble before he settles in is the priority.
• Oracle Park factors: The marine layer and cool air at Oracle Park tend to suppress run-scoring, which could favor a pitcher like Houser who works to contact.

Prediction

This shapes up as a tight, low-scoring game at Oracle Park. Singer is capable of keeping San Francisco's lineup off-balance, and Houser's profile suits the home ballpark's conditions. The Giants' advantage lies in their lineup depth and home comfort. Look for San Francisco to scratch out enough offensively behind a solid Houser outing. Giants win, 3-2.