Chatterbox Reds Sunday Night: Cincinnati SWEPT by St. Louis Cardinals | Recap, Podcast, Highlights

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The Cincinnati Reds are hoping the return of one of their young starting pitchers can help stop the bleeding and prevent a damaging series sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

The Reds will hand the ball to right-hander Rhett Lowder (3-3, 5.40 ERA), who is set to make his first start in nearly a month after spending time on the injured list with weakness in his right shoulder. Cincinnati desperately needs stability from its rotation after another frustrating late-game collapse Saturday dropped the club to 2-12 against National League Central opponents this season.

The Reds entered the weekend hoping to gain ground in the division standings, but instead they have watched two winnable games slip away. Cincinnati led 3-0 in Friday’s series opener before losing 10-6, then squandered a 5-3 lead in Saturday’s loss as bullpen issues and missed opportunities continued to haunt the club.

Now, the Reds will try to avoid a three-game sweep while snapping a three-game losing streak that has pushed the team below .500 for the first time since Opening Day.

All eyes will be on Lowder, one of the organization’s top young arms, as he returns to the mound. The 24-year-old last pitched on May 7 against the Chicago Cubs before being shut down with shoulder issues. Prior to landing on the 15-day injured list, Lowder struggled badly in consecutive starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cubs, allowing 11 runs and issuing eight walks over just 4 1/3 innings.

Despite those struggles, the Reds remain optimistic about Lowder’s long-term outlook and believe the time away helped address the issue.

Lowder showed flashes of promise earlier this season and already has positive history against St. Louis. During the 2024 season, he earned the first major league win of his career against the Cardinals in his only appearance versus them.

The Reds could use a strong outing from Lowder not only to stabilize the pitching staff, but also to ease the pressure on a bullpen that has been overworked and inconsistent during Cincinnati’s recent slide.

Adding to the challenge is the absence of longtime Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson, who recently stepped away from the team indefinitely for personal reasons. Assistant pitching coach Matt Tracy has assumed pitching coach duties in Johnson’s absence.

While Cincinnati searches for answers, the Cardinals continue to surge.

St. Louis will counter with right-hander Michael McGreevy (3-5, 2.98 ERA), who has quietly become one of the club’s most reliable starters this season. McGreevy will make his 13th start of the year and has consistently provided innings and stability for manager Oliver Marmol.

The young right-hander has also dominated Cincinnati in his brief career. In two starts against the Reds, McGreevy owns a perfect 2-0 record with a sparkling 0.69 ERA, consistently keeping Cincinnati’s lineup off balance with his command and pitch efficiency.

The Cardinals enter Sunday’s matchup riding a three-game winning streak and carrying plenty of offensive momentum. St. Louis has scored 30 runs in its first four games against Cincinnati this season, winning three of those contests behind timely hitting and power production.

Jordan Walker has been especially dangerous against the Reds, blasting his 16th home run of the season on Saturday and continuing to emerge as one of the focal points of the Cardinals’ lineup. Alec Burleson has also delivered key hits throughout the series, helping St. Louis capitalize on Cincinnati mistakes.

For the Reds, the recent struggles have been difficult to ignore.

After opening the season 20-11 and looking like an early National League Central contender, Cincinnati has gone just 11-21 over its last 32 games. Offensive inconsistency, bullpen collapses, injuries, and defensive miscues have all contributed to the downturn.

Still, players inside the clubhouse remain confident the team can turn things around before the season slips further away.

Sunday’s matchup now carries added importance for Cincinnati. A win would allow the Reds to salvage the finale and regain some momentum heading into next week. Another loss would not only extend their losing streak, but further deepen their struggles within the NL Central race.