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
4/9vs MontrealL  5-6 0-1
4/12vs MontrealW  3-2 1-1
4/13at PhiladelphiaL  1-5 1-2
4/15at PhiladelphiaL  3-4
11
1-3
4/16at PhiladelphiaL  3-5 1-4
4/17at HoustonW  4-3 2-4
4/18at HoustonW  6-3
11
3-4
4/19at HoustonW  2-0 4-4
4/25vs StL CardinalsL  1-5 4-5
4/26vs StL CardinalsL  2-3 4-6
4/28at NY MetsW  8-0 5-6
4/29at NY MetsW  10-0 6-6
4/30at NY MetsW  7-4 7-6
5/1vs HoustonL  3-5 7-7
5/2vs HoustonW  5-4
12
8-7
5/3vs HoustonL  1-3 8-8
5/6at CincinnatiL  8-9 8-9
5/7at CincinnatiW  7-1 9-9
5/7at CincinnatiW  3-1 10-9
5/8at StL CardinalsL  4-5 10-10
5/9at StL CardinalsL  0-13 10-11
5/10at StL CardinalsW  8-2 11-11
5/11at AtlantaL  2-3
10
11-12
5/12at AtlantaL  0-2 11-13
5/13at AtlantaW  7-5
13
12-13
5/15vs CincinnatiL  1-4 12-14
5/16vs CincinnatiL  0-4 12-15
5/17vs CincinnatiL  3-4 12-16
5/19vs AtlantaW  5-0 13-16
5/20vs AtlantaW  6-1 14-16
5/22vs PhiladelphiaW  3-1 15-16
5/23vs PhiladelphiaL  4-6 15-17
5/24vs PhiladelphiaW  7-1 16-17
5/25at Chi. CubsL  9-10
11
16-18
5/26at Chi. CubsW  6-4 17-18
5/27at Chi. CubsW  3-2 18-18
5/28at Chi. CubsW  9-4 19-18
5/29at MontrealL  2-3 19-19
5/30at MontrealW  3-2 20-19
5/31at MontrealL  1-5 20-20
6/2vs Chi. CubsW  16-3 21-20
6/3vs Chi. CubsW  3-2 22-20
6/4vs Chi. CubsW  5-4
10
23-20
6/5vs San FranciscoL  3-5 23-21
6/6vs San FranciscoW  7-6 24-21
6/7vs San FranciscoW  3-2 25-21
6/9vs San DiegoL  4-7 25-22
6/10vs San DiegoL  2-3 25-23
8/10at MontrealL  1-3 25-24
8/11at MontrealW  6-3 26-24
8/12vs MontrealL  2-3 26-25
8/13vs MontrealL  2-7 26-26
8/15at Chi. CubsL  3-4
15
26-27
8/16at Chi. CubsW  4-3
11
27-27
8/16at Chi. CubsL  4-6 27-28
8/17vs San FranciscoL  1-5
11
27-29
8/18vs San FranciscoL  2-4 27-30
8/19vs San FranciscoW  7-3 28-30
8/21vs San DiegoW  3-2 29-30
8/21vs San DiegoW  4-2 30-30
8/22vs San DiegoL  6-7 30-31
8/23vs San DiegoW  5-2 31-31
8/24vs LA DodgersL  0-3 31-32
8/25vs LA DodgersL  7-9
11
31-33
8/26vs LA DodgersL  6-16 31-34
8/27at San FranciscoL  4-5
13
31-35
8/28at San FranciscoL  1-5 31-36
8/29at San FranciscoL  3-8 31-37
8/30at San FranciscoL  0-5 31-38
8/31at LA DodgersW  5-4
10
32-38
9/1at LA DodgersL  2-3
14
32-39
9/2at LA DodgersL  2-6 32-40
9/3at San DiegoW  7-3 33-40
9/4at San DiegoL  4-5 33-41
9/5at San DiegoW  2-1 34-41
9/6at San DiegoW  9-5 35-41
9/7vs NY MetsW  2-1 36-41
9/7vs NY MetsW  5-4 37-41
9/8vs NY MetsL  1-3 37-42
9/9vs NY MetsL  3-5 37-43
9/11vs PhiladelphiaL  0-8 37-44
9/12vs PhiladelphiaW  6-2 38-44
9/13vs PhiladelphiaW  3-2 39-44
9/15at Chi. CubsW  8-2 40-44
9/18at PhiladelphiaW  7-6 41-44
9/19at PhiladelphiaL  2-8 41-45
9/20at PhiladelphiaL  4-5 41-46
9/21at NY MetsL  3-4
13
41-47
9/22at NY MetsW  5-3 42-47
9/23at MontrealL  2-3 42-48
9/24at MontrealL  1-7 42-49
9/25at StL CardinalsW  5-4 43-49
9/26at StL CardinalsL  3-5 43-50
9/27at StL CardinalsL  5-7 43-51
9/28vs Chi. CubsW  4-0 44-51
9/28vs Chi. CubsL  1-3 44-52
9/29vs Chi. CubsW  10-6 45-52
9/30vs MontrealL  2-3 45-53
10/1vs MontrealL  2-5 45-54
10/2vs StL CardinalsW  8-7 46-54
10/3vs StL CardinalsL  3-8 46-55
10/4vs StL CardinalsL  0-4 46-56