2012 Cincinnati Reds season

The 2012 Cincinnati Reds season was the 143rd season for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their tenth at Great American Ball Park. The Reds improved on their record of 79–83 in 2011 and became the first team to clinch a playoff berth in 2012 by defeating the Cubs 5–3 on September 20. They clinched the National League Central with a 6–0 victory over the Dodgers on September 22.Behind Mat Latos, Reds regain reign of NL Central MLB.com Their final record was 97–65 and they subsequently lost in five games to the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS.

As of 2026, this represents the last playoff game win and division title for the Reds.

Standings

NL Central standings

NL Wild Card

Record vs. opponents

Regular season highlights Opening Day Starting Lineup Position NameStarting Pitcher Johnny CuetoCatcher Ryan HaniganFirst Baseman Joey VottoSecond Baseman Brandon PhillipsThird Baseman Scott RolenShortstop Zack CozartLeft Fielder Ryan LudwickCenter Fielder Drew StubbsRight Fielder Jay Bruce

April April 5: The Reds opened the season with a 4–0 shutout victory over the Miami Marlins in front of 42,956 fans — the largest crowd ever for a regular season game at Great American Ball Park. This was the first Opening Day shutout win for the Reds since 1980.

May May 13: Joey Votto homers three times, including a walk-off grand slam in a 9–6 win over the Washington Nationals on Mother's Day. Votto became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit three homers and have one of them be a walk-off grand slam in the same game. May 21: In a 4–1 victory over the Atlanta Braves, The Reds had 4 solo home runs in one game, including three in a row in the 4th inning by Mike Leake, Zack Cozart and Drew Stubbs. Both Leake and Cozart's home runs were caught by the same fan, Caleb Lloyd. Mike Leake went 8 innings with 6 strikeouts to earn his first victory of 2012. May 21–24: The Reds complete a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves. The Reds hit 10 home runs during the series. It was the first 4-game sweep of the Braves since 1990. At the end of the series, the Reds ascended into first place by half a game when the Cardinals lost to the Phillies.

June June 12–14: The Reds sweep their in-state rivals, the Cleveland Indians, in three games. During the three wins, the Reds outscored the Indians 24–9 and outhit them 37–26. June 15–17: The Reds win three straight games against the New York Mets for their second straight sweep, making 6 straight wins. June 18, 19, 20: On June 18, 19, 20 the Indians swept their instate rival Cincinnati Reds in Cleveland scoring 21 runs to the Reds 12, beating LeCure, Chapman and Arroyo.

July July 16: Joey Votto is placed on 15-day DL due to arthroscopic knee surgery. July 19–29: The Reds beat Arizona in a dramatic comeback, then sweep Milwaukee at Great American Ball Park, Houston and Colorado on the road to go on a 10-game winning streak. All of these wins came without 2010 MVP and All-Star First Baseman, Joey Votto. As a result of the streak Hall of Fame announcer Marty Brennaman had his head shaved, with proceeds going to Cincinnati area charities.Marty Brennaman puts his hair on the line

August August 29: The Reds became the first team in MLB to reach 80 wins with a 6–2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was also the fastest the Reds have reached 80 wins since their 1976 season.Reds first to 80 wins after sweeping Diamondbacks MLB.com

September September 20: The Reds became the first team in MLB to secure a spot in the playoffs with a 5–3 win over the Chicago Cubs.Playoff bound: Reds earn berth with sweep MLB.com September 22: The Reds became the first division winner, with a 6–0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the win gives the Reds their second NL Central title in three years.Reds 6, Dodgers 0 MLB.com September 28: Homer Bailey no-hits the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Only two men reached base, Barmes on a fielding error by Scott Rolen in the 3rd and a walk by McCutchen in the 7th. It was the 15th no-hitter in the long existence of the Cincinnati Reds. Frazier's sacrifice fly, scoring Phillips in the 1st was the lone run. Bailey struck out 10.Reds 1, Pirates 0 MLB.com

Game log Legend Reds win Reds loss PostponementBoldReds team member

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 1 || April 5 || Marlins || FSO || W 4–0 || Cueto (1–0) || Buehrle (0–1) || || 42,956 || 1–0 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 2 || April 7 || Marlins || FSO || L 3–8 || Nolasco (1–0) || Latos (0–1) || || 41,662 || 1–1 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 3 || April 8 || Marlins || FSO || W 6–5 || Chapman (1–0) || Bell (0–1) || || 23,539 || 2–1 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 4 || April 9 || Cardinals || FSO || L 1–7 || Westbrook (1–0) || Bailey (0–1) || || 16,909 || 2–2 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 5 || April 10 || Cardinals || FSO || L 1–3 || Lohse (2–0) || Leake (0–1) || Motte (2) || 17,110 || 2–3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 6 || April 11 || Cardinals || MLBN || W 4–3 || Chapman (2–0) || Rzepczynski (0–1) || || 20,672 || 3–3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 7 || April 12 || @ Nationals || FSO || L 2–3 (10) || Stammen (1–0) || Simón (0–1) || || 40,907 || 3–4 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 8 || April 13 || @ Nationals || FSO || L 1–2 (13) || Stammen (2–0) || Marshall (0–1) || || 26,959 || 3–5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 9 || April 14 || @ Nationals || FSO || L 1–4 || Jackson (1–0) || Bailey (0–2) || || 35,489 || 3–6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 10 || April 15 || @ Nationals || FSO || W 8–5 (11) || Arredondo (1–0) || Clippard (1–1) || Marshall (1) || 25,679 || 4–6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 11 || April 17 || @ Cardinals || FSO || L 1–2 (10) || Motte (1–0) || LeCure (0–1) || || 35,562 || 4–7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 12 || April 18 || @ Cardinals || FSO || L 1–11 || Garcia (2–0) || Latos (0–2) || || 35,907 || 4–8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 13 || April 19 || @ Cardinals || FSO || W 6–3 || Arroyo (1–0) || Wainwright (0–3) || Marshall (2) || 40,049 || 5–8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 14 || April 20 || @ Cubs || FSO || W 9–4 || Bailey (1–2) || Volstad (0–2) || || 37,782 || 6–8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 15 || April 21 || @ Cubs || FSO || L 1–6 || Maholm (1–2) || Leake (0–2) || || 38,405 || 6–9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 16 || April 22 || @ Cubs || FSO || W 4–3 || Cueto (2–0) || López (0–1) || Marshall (3) || 35,801 || 7–9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 17 || April 24 || Giants || FSO || W 9–2 || Latos (1–2) || Cain (1–1) || || 19,051 || 8–9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 18 || April 25 || Giants || FSO || W 4–2 || Arredondo (2–0) || Hensley (1–2) || Marshall (4) || 17,115 || 9–9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 19 || April 26 || Giants || FSO || L 5–6 || López (2–0) || Marshall (0–2) || Casilla (2) || 17,317 || 9–10 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 20 || April 27 || Astros || FSO || L 4–6 || Rodríguez (2–2) || Leake (0–3) || Myers (4) || 29,486 || 9–11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 21 || April 28 || Astros || FSO || W 6–0 || Cueto (3–0) || Harrell (1–2) || || 32,971 || 10–11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 22 || April 29 || Astros || FSO || W 6–5 || Ondrusek (1–0) || Rodriguez (0–3) || Marshall (5) || 31,086 || 11–11 ||

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bbb;" | – || May 1 || Cubs || FSO ||colspan=7| Postponed (rain). Makeup Date August 18. |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 23 || May 2 || Cubs || FSO || L 1–3 || Samardzija (3–1) || Arroyo (1–1) || Mármol (2) || 16,868 || 11–12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 24 || May 3 || Cubs || || W 4–3 (10) || Ondrusek (2–0) || Dolis (1–2) || || 23,288 || 12–12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 25 || May 4 || @ Pirates || FSO || W 6–1 || Cueto (4–0) || Correia (1–2) || || 20,445 || 13–12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 26 || May 5 || @ Pirates || FSO || L 2–3 || McDonald (2–1) || Leake (0–4) || Hanrahan (5) || 33,019 || 13–13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 27 || May 6 || @ Pirates || FSO || W 5–0 || Latos (2–2) || Morton (1–3) || || 20,042 || 14–13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 28 || May 7 || @ Brewers || FSO || W 6–1 || Arroyo (2–1) || Estrada (0–2) || || 27,157 || 15–13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 29 || May 8 || @ Brewers || FSO || L 3–8 || Gallardo (2–3) || Bailey (1–3) || || 28,108 || 15–14 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 30 || May 9 || @ Brewers || FSO || W 2–1 || Chapman (3–0) || Axford (0–2) || Ondrusek (1) || 27,090 || 16–14 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 31 || May 11 || Nationals || FSO || L 3–7 || Gonzalez (4–1) || Leake (0–5) || || 37,255 || 16–15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 32 || May 12 || Nationals || FSO || L 1–2 || Zimmermann (2–3) || Arredondo (2–1) || Rodríguez (8) || 42,294 || 16–16 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 33 || May 13 || Nationals || FSO || W 9–6 || Marshall (1–2) || Rodríguez (1–3) || || 28,361 || 17–16 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 34 || May 14 || @ Braves || FSO || W 3–1 || Ondrusek (3–0) || Venters (2-2) || Marshall (6) || 19,697 || 18–16 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 35 || May 15 || @ Braves || FSO || L 2–6 || Hudson (2–1) || Cueto (4–1) || || 21,530 || 18–17 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 36 || May 16 || @ Mets || FSO || W 6–3 || Arredondo (3–1) || Rauch (3–2) || Marshall (7) || 22,659 || 19–17 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 37 || May 17 || @ Mets || FSO || L 4–9 || Parnell (1–0) || Ondrusek (3–1) || || 29,943 || 19–18 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 38 || May 18 || @ Yankees || FSO || L 0–4 || Pettitte (1–1) || Arroyo (2–2) || || 42,015 || 19–19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 39 || May 19 || @ Yankees || FSO || W 6–5 || Bailey (2–3) || Nova (4–2) || Arredondo (1) || 45,302 || 20–19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 40 || May 20 || @ Yankees || FSO || W 5–2 || Cueto (5–1) || Sabathia (5–2) || Chapman (1) || 45,622 || 21–19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 41 || May 21 || Braves || FSO || W 4–1 || Leake (1–5) || Minor (2–4) || Marshall (8) || 17,606 || 22–19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 42 || May 22 || Braves || FSO || W 4–3 || Latos (3–2) || Beachy (5–2) || Chapman (2) || 26,438 || 23–19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 43 || May 23 || Braves || FSO || W 2–1 || Chapman (4–0) || Martínez (2–1) || || 20,411 || 24–19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 44 || May 24 || Braves || FSO || W 6–3 || Bailey (3–3) || Delgado (2–5) || Ondrusek (2) || 23,312 || 25–19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 45 || May 25 || Rockies || FSO || L 3–6 || Friedrich (2–1) || Cueto (5–2) || Betancourt (8) || 29,597 || 25–20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 46 || May 26 || Rockies || Fox || W 10–3 || Hoover (1–0) || Guthrie (2–3) || || 35,314 || 26–20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 47 || May 27 || Rockies || FSO || W 7–5 || Latos (4–2) || Moyer (2–5) || Chapman (3) || 29,368 || 27–20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 48 || May 28 || @ Pirates || FSO || L 1–4 || McDonald (4–2) || Arroyo (2–3) || Hanrahan (12) || 14,792 || 27–21 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 49 || May 29 || @ Pirates || FSO || W 8–1 || Bailey (4–3) || Morton (2–6) || || 12,077 || 28–21 ||