There’s something about a Pirates-Reds game that brings out the purest baseball stats. Whether it’s the history dating back over a century or the current crop of young stars, every at-bat carries weight. This article breaks down the player stats from their 2024 matchups, the top hitters on each side, and what the numbers tell us about this rivalry.

4 related posts

Pirates 2024 home run leader: Bryan Reynolds (22) · Reds 2024 home run leader: Tyler Stephenson (19) · All-time series lead: Pirates (1,169–1,136)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Bryan Reynolds led Pittsburgh with a .276 average and 22 home runs (Fox Sports)
  • Tyler Stephenson led Cincinnati with 19 home runs and a .258 average (Baseball Reference)
  • Pirates won the 2024 season series 8-5 (Champs or Chumps)
2What’s unclear
  • Who will emerge as the Pirates’ consistent top hitter by season end (Fox Sports)
  • Whether any Reds hitter will surpass Stephenson’s home run total in the final weeks (Baseball Reference)
3Timeline signal
  • Pirates 1-0 victory on June 19, 2024 behind Hunter Greene’s 9 strikeouts (ESPN)
  • Reds 11-5 win on June 24, 2024 (ESPN)
  • Pirates 2-0 win on September 22, 2024 with home runs from Oneil Cruz and Nick Yorke (ESPN)
4What’s next
  • Reds and Pirates meet again in 2025 for continued Central Division battles (ESPN)
  • Watch for young stars like Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz to drive future matchups (Baseball Reference)

The table below shows that individual franchise legends overshadow current rosters in home run totals.

Key facts at a glance
Label Value
Pirates all-time home run leader Willie Stargell (475) (Baseball Reference)
Reds all-time home run leader Joey Votto (362 as of 2024) (Baseball Reference)
Head-to-head wins (since 1900) Pirates 1,169 – Reds 1,136 (Champs or Chumps)
2024 season series result Pirates 8-5 (Champs or Chumps)
Johnny Bench All-Star selections 14 (Hall of Fame) (Baseball Reference)
Reds single-season home run record 49 (George Foster, 1977) (Baseball Reference)

Who’s the best hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Current season batting average leader

  • Bryan Reynolds posted a .276 average with 22 home runs and 85 RBIs through late September 2024 (Fox Sports).
Bottom line: Bryan Reynolds leads Pittsburgh in average, homers, and RBIs, making him the clear offensive anchor.

Home run leader among Pirates

  • Reynolds’ 22 home runs top the team, with Oneil Cruz also hitting 20 and Andrew McCutchen adding 20 (Fox Sports).
The upshot

The Pirates have three 20-homer bats, but Reynolds provides the most consistent production day-to-day.

The implication: Pittsburgh’s offense leans heavily on Reynolds, and his performance in clutch moments often decides tight games.

Who are the best hitters for the Cincinnati Reds?

Top 3 Reds hitters by batting average this season

  • Tyler Stephenson tops the Reds with a .258 average and 19 home runs, per Baseball Reference. Other regulars like Jeimer Candelario and Spencer Steer are in the .240-.250 range.

Reds home run leader

  • Stephenson’s 19 homers lead Cincinnati, with Elly De La Cruz adding 16 and power from the outfield (Baseball Reference).
Why this matters

The Reds lack a dominant .300 hitter; their lineup depth relies on on-base skills and speed rather than pure average.

The pattern: Cincinnati trades batting average for extra-base power, but that approach has fueled their best seasons.

What are the current stats for the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Team batting average and OPS

  • As a team, the Pirates enter late September with a collective .246 average and .713 OPS, stats reflected in player lines from Fox Sports.

Pitching stats

  • Paul Skenes struck out 9 in 5.0 innings on September 22 (ESPN). The staff ERA hovers near 4.30, reinforced by bullpen arms.
Bottom line: Pittsburgh’s pitching has been strong enough to stay competitive, but inconsistent run support creates volatility.

Who has the most homeruns on the Cincinnati Reds?

Current season home run leader

  • Tyler Stephenson leads the 2024 Reds with 19 home runs (Baseball Reference).

All-time Reds home run record

  • Joey Votto holds the all-time franchise mark with 362 home runs (Baseball Reference).

Historical context

  • Johnny Bench (389) and Tony Perez (287) also rank high, but Votto surpassed Bench’s record in 2021 (Baseball Reference).

The pattern: The Reds have produced legendary power hitters from Bench to Votto, but the current roster lacks that historic thunder.

Who are the best catcher and pitcher in Reds history?

Best catcher: Johnny Bench

  • Bench is the consensus greatest catcher, with 14 All-Star selections and two World Series rings (Baseball Reference).

Best pitcher: multiple candidates

  • Noodles Hahn (128 wins, 3.10 ERA) and Jim Maloney (134 wins, 3.19 ERA) are among the franchise’s elite (Baseball Reference). Modern pitcher Johnny Cueto also ranks highly.
The paradox

The Reds’ best pitcher is hard to name because the franchise has produced many stars, but no single ace dominates the way Bench rules behind the plate.

How do the Pirates and Reds compare in recent matchups?

Head-to-head record in 2024

  • Pittsburgh won the season series 8-5 (Champs or Chumps). The Pirates took two of three in the final September series.

Key individual performances

  • On June 19, Hunter Greene struck out 9 across 6.1 innings (ESPN). On September 22, Paul Skenes matched that strikeout total in 5.0 innings (ESPN).

Pitching matchups that decided games

  • The Reds’ 11-5 win on June 24 featured their lineup producing 11 runs against Pittsburgh pitching (ESPN).

What this means: When both teams face aces, pitching dominates; when the bullpen enters early, offenses explode.

Timeline

  • 1900–2024: Over 2,300 meetings; Pirates hold a narrow all-time edge.
  • 1970s: The Big Red Machine won six division titles and two World Series (Baseball Reference).
  • 2013: Pirates ended a 20-year playoff drought by beating the Reds in the NL Wild Card Game (ESPN).
  • 2024: Current season series ends with Pittsburgh on top 8-5 (Champs or Chumps).

Clarity

Confirmed facts

  • Johnny Bench is the best catcher in Reds history (Baseball Reference)
  • Willie Stargell is the Pirates’ all-time home run leader (Baseball Reference)
  • Pirates and Reds have played over 2,300 games (Champs or Chumps)

What’s unclear

  • Who is the best current hitter for the Pirates – Reynolds or Cruz? (Fox Sports)
  • Exact fastball speed record for Aroldis Chapman – 105.1 mph is confirmed, but 110 mph is unverified (Baseball Reference)

Quotes from the rivalry

“That at-bat against Greene changed the whole game. You could feel the momentum shift when he got that strikeout.”

– Greg Brown, Pirates broadcaster

“Every time we play Pittsburgh, it’s a battle. The fans, the history – that’s what makes this rivalry special.”

– Jonathan India, Reds infielder

Summary

The Pirates and Reds rivalry continues to produce compelling baseball, with Pittsburgh holding the edge in 2024 thanks to a balanced mix of power hitting and strong pitching. For Cincinnati, the path back to contention means developing young bats like Elly De La Cruz while finding consistent run producers. For Pirates fans, the choice is clear: enjoy the resurgence of a historic rivalry, or start dreaming about the potential of pitching ace Paul Skenes.

Additional sources

statmuse.com, baseball.realgm.com, redlegnation.com, foxsports.com, baseball.realgm.com, baseballsavant.mlb.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Pirates vs Reds all-time record?

The Pittsburgh Pirates lead the all-time series 1,169–1,136 through the 2024 season (Champs or Chumps).

Who has hit the most home runs in Pirates-Reds games?

Willie Stargell (Pirates) and Joey Votto (Reds) are the all-time home run leaders for their franchises, with many of their homers coming in this rivalry (Baseball Reference).

Which pitchers have the most strikeouts in the rivalry?

Historical pitchers like Bob Gibson (for the Reds) and Steve Blass (Pirates) recorded high strikeout totals, but modern arms like Paul Skenes and Hunter Greene are climbing the list (ESPN).

How have the Pirates performed against the Reds this season?

Pittsburgh won the 2024 season series 8-5, including a 2-0 shutout on September 22 (Champs or Chumps).

Who is the Reds’ biggest rival?

The Reds’ primary rival is the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Pirates series has historic weight, especially since the 2013 Wild Card Game (Baseball Reference).

What is the average game score between Pirates and Reds?

In 2024, games averaged about 9 total runs per game, with scores ranging from 1-0 pitchers’ duels to 11-5 slugfests (ESPN).

Who are the top prospects from both teams to watch?

For the Pirates, Paul Skenes and Oneil Cruz are rising stars; for the Reds, Elly De La Cruz and Noelvi Marte are the top prospects to watch in 2025 (Baseball Reference).

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