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 NY YankeesL  3-10 0-1
4/11at NY YankeesL  1-5 0-2
4/12at NY YankeesW  6-4 1-2
4/14vs ClevelandL  1-7 1-3
4/15vs ClevelandW  8-0 2-3
4/17vs NY YankeesL  1-2 2-4
4/18vs NY YankeesW  6-4 3-4
4/19vs NY YankeesW  4-0 4-4
4/20at BostonL  2-4 4-5
4/21at BostonL  4-10 4-6
4/22at BostonW  16-8 5-6
4/25at ClevelandW  8-4 6-6
4/26at ClevelandL  3-4 6-7
4/27vs BostonW  10-0 7-7
4/28vs BostonW  9-0 8-7
4/29vs BostonW  5-0 9-7
4/30vs Kansas CityW  7-0 10-7
5/1vs Kansas CityL  0-4 10-8
5/2vs Kansas CityL  2-7 10-9
5/3vs Kansas CityW  9-8
10
11-9
5/5vs Chi. White SoxW  6-1 12-9
5/6vs Chi. White SoxW  4-2 13-9
5/7vs Chi. White SoxW  9-4 14-9
5/9vs BaltimoreL  3-7 14-10
5/9vs BaltimoreL  2-4 14-11
5/10vs BaltimoreW  7-3 15-11
5/11at Kansas CityW  9-1 16-11
5/12at Kansas CityL  2-3 16-12
5/14at Kansas CityW  3-2 17-12
5/15at Chi. White SoxW  2-1 18-12
5/16at Chi. White SoxL  1-9 18-13
5/17at Chi. White SoxL  0-9 18-14
5/18at DetroitW  13-5 19-14
5/19at DetroitL  1-14 19-15
5/20at DetroitL  4-8 19-16
5/22at SeattleW  6-2 20-16
5/23at SeattleW  6-4
12
21-16
5/24at SeattleW  5-3 22-16
5/25vs MinnesotaW  4-3 23-16
5/26vs MinnesotaW  2-1 24-16
5/27vs MinnesotaL  1-2 24-17
5/28vs MinnesotaW  6-2 25-17
5/29vs SeattleL  4-5
12
25-18
5/30vs SeattleW  6-0 26-18
5/31vs SeattleL  3-5 26-19
6/2at MinnesotaW  5-3 27-19
6/3at MinnesotaW  6-3 28-19
6/4at MinnesotaL  3-7 28-20
6/5vs TorontoW  5-4
12
29-20
6/6vs TorontoW  4-1 30-20
6/7vs TorontoW  9-0 31-20
6/8vs DetroitW  8-1 32-20
6/9vs DetroitL  0-5 32-21
6/10at MilwaukeeW  12-5 33-21
6/11at MilwaukeeL  3-6 33-22
8/10at NY YankeesL  0-2 33-23
8/11at NY YankeesW  1-0 34-23
8/12at NY YankeesL  4-5 34-24
8/14vs BostonW  3-2 35-24
8/15vs BostonL  3-5
10
35-25
8/16vs BostonW  3-0 36-25
8/18vs MilwaukeeL  1-3 36-26
8/18vs MilwaukeeW  8-6 37-26
8/19vs MilwaukeeW  4-1 38-26
8/21at DetroitL  4-7 38-27
8/22at DetroitL  0-2 38-28
8/23at DetroitL  4-5 38-29
8/24at TorontoW  3-0 39-29
8/25at TorontoW  6-1 40-29
8/27at MilwaukeeW  5-1 41-29
8/28at MilwaukeeL  3-6 41-30
8/29at MilwaukeeW  8-5 42-30
8/30at MilwaukeeL  2-6 42-31
8/31vs TorontoL  0-3 42-32
9/1vs TorontoL  3-9 42-33
9/2vs TorontoW  4-1 43-33
9/3vs DetroitL  5-8 43-34
9/4vs DetroitW  3-2 44-34
9/5vs DetroitL  0-1 44-35
9/6vs DetroitL  3-4 44-36
9/7at OaklandL  1-2 44-37
9/8at OaklandL  0-3 44-38
9/9at OaklandW  9-4 45-38
9/11at CaliforniaW  11-6 46-38
9/12at CaliforniaW  3-2 47-38
9/13at CaliforniaL  7-8
12
47-39
9/14vs OaklandL  2-5 47-40
9/15vs OaklandW  12-2 48-40
9/16vs OaklandL  1-2 48-41
9/18vs MinnesotaL  3-6 48-42
9/19vs MinnesotaW  6-0 49-42
9/20vs MinnesotaW  4-3 50-42
9/21vs SeattleW  4-1 51-42
9/22vs SeattleL  2-3 51-43
9/23vs SeattleL  1-2 51-44
9/24vs SeattleL  1-2
11
51-45
9/25at MinnesotaW  5-2 52-45
9/26at MinnesotaL  3-7 52-46
9/27at MinnesotaL  2-5 52-47
9/28at SeattleW  6-5 53-47
9/29at SeattleW  6-2 54-47
9/30at SeattleW  3-1 55-47
10/2vs CaliforniaW  8-6
10
56-47
10/3vs CaliforniaW  1-0 57-47
10/4vs CaliforniaL  2-9 57-48