Due to a mid-season players' strike, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of each half played each other in a five-game divisional series. The Cincinnati Reds, despite having the best overall record during the season, finished 2nd in both halves, so did not qualify for the post-season.

1981 Regular Season Results

Date    OpponentResultScoreRecord
4/10at BaltimoreL  3-5 0-1
4/12at BaltimoreW  4-2 1-1
4/14vs DetroitL  5-6 1-2
4/15vs DetroitL  0-4 1-3
4/17vs BaltimoreL  2-3 1-4
4/19vs BaltimoreW  3-2 2-4
4/20vs ClevelandL  2-4 2-5
4/21vs ClevelandL  1-4 2-6
4/22vs ClevelandL  0-4 2-7
4/24at MilwaukeeL  1-6 2-8
4/25at MilwaukeeW  4-2 3-8
4/26at MilwaukeeL  1-11 3-9
4/30at TexasL  0-7 3-10
5/1at TexasW  4-0 4-10
5/2at TexasW  7-2 5-10
5/3at TexasL  8-9
10
5-11
5/4vs BostonL  7-8
12
5-12
5/5vs BostonW  2-1 6-12
5/6vs BostonL  1-3 6-13
5/8at Chi. White SoxL  5-9 6-14
5/9at Chi. White SoxL  0-3 6-15
5/11vs TexasL  1-9 6-16
5/12vs TexasW  3-2 7-16
5/14vs TexasL  2-3 7-17
5/15at BostonL  3-4 7-18
5/16at BostonW  7-6 8-18
5/17at BostonW  5-4 9-18
5/18at NY YankeesL  1-2 9-19
5/19at NY YankeesL  5-6 9-20
5/20at NY YankeesL  4-5
11
9-21
5/22vs MinnesotaL  0-7 9-22
5/23vs MinnesotaW  1-0
15
10-22
5/24vs MinnesotaW  6-4 11-22
5/25at SeattleL  2-5 11-23
5/25at SeattleL  1-7 11-24
5/26at SeattleW  5-4 12-24
5/27at SeattleW  8-5 13-24
5/29at MinnesotaW  3-1 14-24
5/30at MinnesotaW  6-5 15-24
5/31at MinnesotaL  4-5 15-25
6/1vs SeattleW  3-2 16-25
6/2vs SeattleL  3-4 16-26
6/3vs SeattleW  12-9 17-26
6/5vs MilwaukeeL  2-6 17-27
6/6vs MilwaukeeL  2-4 17-28
6/7vs MilwaukeeW  7-1 18-28
6/8vs NY YankeesL  3-8 18-29
6/9vs NY YankeesL  5-8 18-30
6/10at TorontoW  7-4 19-30
6/11at TorontoW  10-5 20-30
8/10at BaltimoreL  2-3
12
20-31
8/12at BaltimoreL  3-4 20-32
8/12at BaltimoreW  10-0 21-32
8/13at BaltimoreL  1-2 21-33
8/14at ClevelandW  4-1 22-33
8/15at ClevelandW  5-3 23-33
8/16at ClevelandL  6-8 23-34
8/16at ClevelandW  6-2 24-34
8/17vs TorontoW  5-3 25-34
8/18vs TorontoL  3-5 25-35
8/19vs TorontoL  4-9 25-36
8/21at NY YankeesW  4-0 26-36
8/22at NY YankeesL  0-5 26-37
8/23at NY YankeesL  0-8 26-38
8/24at DetroitW  4-2 27-38
8/25at DetroitL  3-4
10
27-39
8/26at DetroitW  6-1 28-39
8/27at TorontoW  11-5 29-39
8/28at TorontoL  3-4 29-40
8/29at TorontoW  2-0 30-40
8/31vs MilwaukeeL  1-5 30-41
9/1vs MilwaukeeW  3-1 31-41
9/2vs MilwaukeeW  5-4 32-41
9/3vs NY YankeesW  3-2 33-41
9/4vs NY YankeesL  0-4 33-42
9/5vs NY YankeesL  1-2 33-43
9/6vs NY YankeesL  1-6 33-44
9/7vs CaliforniaW  7-1 34-44
9/8vs CaliforniaW  5-3 35-44
9/9vs CaliforniaW  7-3 36-44
9/11at OaklandL  1-6 36-45
9/12at OaklandW  4-0 37-45
9/13at OaklandW  6-5
12
38-45
9/14at CaliforniaW  4-3 39-45
9/15at CaliforniaW  3-2 40-45
9/16at CaliforniaW  3-1 41-45
9/18at SeattleW  8-3 42-45
9/19at SeattleL  1-4 42-46
9/20at SeattleL  2-3 42-47
9/21vs MinnesotaL  2-7 42-48
9/22vs MinnesotaW  2-1 43-48
9/23vs MinnesotaL  2-6 43-49
9/24vs MinnesotaW  9-2 44-49
9/25vs SeattleL  3-8 44-50
9/26vs SeattleL  2-4 44-51
9/27vs SeattleW  15-3 45-51
9/28at MinnesotaW  6-1 46-51
9/29at MinnesotaW  4-2 47-51
9/30at MinnesotaW  5-2 48-51
10/2vs OaklandW  3-0 49-51
10/3vs OaklandL  4-8 49-52
10/4vs OaklandL  3-4 49-53
10/5at ClevelandW  9-0 50-53