They're battling for a division title this year, so let's look at the history as part of our All-Time Lineups series in the battle of teams joined by the Ohio River.
Both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds play in ballparks right on the river, and they both are among the oldest teams in baseball. The Reds, of course, were the first professional team.
Both have five World Series championships in their history, and both are hungry. The Reds' last title was in 1990, and the Pirates' in 1979. The Pirates are trying to break a streak of almost two decades of losing teams.
Lots of Hall of Famers are on each side in this matchup. (And there's a strange inclusion, I admit, on the Pirates' side. But Andrew McCutchen is having the best season of any Pittsburgh center fielder ever.)
Remember, this is the best player at each position in any one season, not a career record. Click through to check out the full lineups, rotations and arguments for the Pirates and Reds.
- 3B Pete Rose (1976, .323, 10 HR, 63 RBI)
- 2B Joe Morgan (1976, .320-27-111)
- RF Frank Robinson (1962, .342-39-136)
- C Johnny Bench (1970, .293-45-148)
- LF George Foster (1977, .320-52-149)
- 1B Ted Kluszewski (1954, .326-49-141)
- CF Eric Davis (1987, .293-37-100)
- SS Barry Larkin (1995, .319-15-66)
- P Bucky Walters (1939, 27-11, 2.29 ERA)
- CF Andrew McCutchen (2012, .358-24-72)
- 3B Pie Traynor (1930, .366-9-119)
- SS Honus Wagner (1908, .354-10-109)
- RF Roberto Clemente (1967, .357-23-110)
- LF Ralph Kiner (1949, .310-54-127)
- 1B Willie Stargell (1979, .281-32-82)
- C Jason Kendall (1998, .327-12-75)
- 2B Bill Mazeroski (1958, .275-19-68)
- P Doug Drabek (1990, 22-6, 2.76 ERA)
Previous All-Time Lineups matchups:
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