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
4/9at San FranciscoW  4-1
12
1-0
4/10at San FranciscoW  4-2 2-0
4/11at San FranciscoL  0-2 2-1
4/12at San FranciscoL  6-7
14
2-2
4/13vs CincinnatiL  1-7 2-3
4/14vs CincinnatiL  0-4 2-4
4/15vs CincinnatiL  1-10 2-5
4/17vs LA DodgersW  3-2
10
3-5
4/18vs LA DodgersL  0-2 3-6
4/19vs LA DodgersL  1-6 3-7
4/20vs San FranciscoL  0-9 3-8
4/21vs San FranciscoW  3-1 4-8
4/22vs San FranciscoW  4-0 5-8
4/23at LA DodgersL  1-3 5-9
4/24at LA DodgersW  6-5 6-9
4/25at LA DodgersL  1-2
11
6-10
4/26at LA DodgersL  2-3 6-11
4/28at CincinnatiL  2-11 6-12
4/29at CincinnatiL  5-8 6-13
4/30at CincinnatiL  3-4 6-14
5/1at NY MetsW  4-2 7-14
5/2at NY MetsL  2-6 7-15
5/3at NY MetsW  4-1 8-15
5/3at NY MetsL  4-7 8-16
5/5at MontrealL  3-4 8-17
5/6at MontrealW  13-5 9-17
5/7at MontrealL  1-2 9-18
5/8at PhiladelphiaL  7-11 9-19
5/9at PhiladelphiaL  6-9 9-20
5/10at PhiladelphiaW  8-4 10-20
5/12vs NY MetsW  3-0 11-20
5/13vs NY MetsW  5-0 12-20
5/14vs NY MetsW  10-6 13-20
5/15vs PhiladelphiaL  1-2 13-21
5/16vs PhiladelphiaW  2-1 14-21
5/17vs PhiladelphiaL  3-6 14-22
5/18vs MontrealL  2-3
10
14-23
5/19vs MontrealW  3-1 15-23
5/20vs MontrealL  2-6 15-24
5/22at AtlantaW  5-2 16-24
5/23at AtlantaL  6-7
11
16-25
5/24at AtlantaW  7-5 17-25
5/25at HoustonL  3-6 17-26
5/26at HoustonL  0-1 17-27
5/27at HoustonL  0-1 17-28
5/29vs AtlantaL  1-7 17-29
5/30vs AtlantaW  11-1 18-29
5/31vs AtlantaW  5-1 19-29
6/2vs HoustonL  1-2 19-30
6/3vs HoustonL  1-6 19-31
6/4vs HoustonW  7-5 20-31
6/5at StL CardinalsL  1-2
13
20-32
6/6at StL CardinalsL  1-11 20-33
6/7at StL CardinalsW  5-1 21-33
6/9at PittsburghW  7-4 22-33
6/10at PittsburghW  3-2 23-33
8/10vs AtlantaL  2-3 23-34
8/11vs AtlantaL  1-5 23-35
8/12vs AtlantaL  3-4
11
23-36
8/13vs HoustonW  9-1 24-36
8/14vs HoustonL  1-5 24-37
8/15vs HoustonL  0-5 24-38
8/16vs HoustonL  0-3 24-39
8/17at StL CardinalsL  1-2
13
24-40
8/18at StL CardinalsW  4-3 25-40
8/19at StL CardinalsL  6-7 25-41
8/21at PittsburghL  2-3 25-42
8/21at PittsburghL  2-4 25-43
8/22at PittsburghW  7-6 26-43
8/23at PittsburghL  2-5 26-44
8/24at Chi. CubsL  8-9
11
26-45
8/25at Chi. CubsL  3-4 26-46
8/26at Chi. CubsL  7-9 26-47
8/27vs StL CardinalsL  2-3
13
26-48
8/29vs StL CardinalsL  5-6 26-49
8/29vs StL CardinalsL  1-6 26-50
8/30vs StL CardinalsW  9-6 27-50
8/31vs Chi. CubsW  4-1 28-50
9/1vs Chi. CubsW  3-2 29-50
9/2vs Chi. CubsW  5-4
10
30-50
9/3vs PittsburghL  3-7 30-51
9/4vs PittsburghW  5-4 31-51
9/5vs PittsburghL  1-2 31-52
9/6vs PittsburghL  5-9 31-53
9/7at CincinnatiL  7-8 31-54
9/8at CincinnatiW  6-1 32-54
9/9at CincinnatiL  4-5 32-55
9/11at AtlantaL  1-4 32-56
9/12at AtlantaL  4-5
11
32-57
9/13at AtlantaW  6-4
10
33-57
9/14vs LA DodgersL  5-10 33-58
9/15vs LA DodgersW  8-2 34-58
9/16vs HoustonL  2-5 34-59
9/17vs HoustonL  0-9 34-60
9/18vs AtlantaL  0-3 34-61
9/19vs AtlantaW  6-3 35-61
9/20vs AtlantaL  1-3
11
35-62
9/21vs CincinnatiW  6-0 36-62
9/22vs CincinnatiL  2-3 36-63
9/23vs CincinnatiL  1-5 36-64
9/25vs San FranciscoL  0-3 36-65
9/26vs San FranciscoL  5-6 36-66
9/27vs San FranciscoL  3-7 36-67
9/28at HoustonL  1-2 36-68
9/29at HoustonW  2-1 37-68
9/30at LA DodgersW  2-0 38-68
10/1at LA DodgersW  1-0 39-68
10/3at San FranciscoW  4-3
13
40-68
10/3at San FranciscoW  7-2 41-68
10/4at San FranciscoL  3-4 41-69