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Who said a rainout means a slow news day at the ballpark? Not the case at Great American Ball Park.
The first meeting of 2026 between National League Central division rivals, the Cincinnati Reds (26-24) and St. Louis Cardinals (28-21), was postponed due to persistent and heavy rain in Cincinnati on Friday, May 22, setting up a potentially hectic split doubleheader between the clubs May 23. The Reds announced two significant personnel moves Friday, May 23, too.
After the postponement was announced, Reds manager Terry Francona met with local media members to discuss the club's roster moves and some of the Cincinnati coaching staff's pitching plans for the Cardinals series.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the big weekend series between the Reds and Cardinals:
Reds designated hitter and third baseman Eugenio Suárez will return from the injured list (strained left oblique) that caused him to miss half of the club's 50 games.
Suárez was hitting .231 with 21 hits and 11 RBIs, and he had timely hits that directly helped lift the Reds to wins in April. He was a late scratch prior to an April 24 games against the Detroit Tigers, and last played April 22.
"We're gonna have to pick our spots a little early. We don't want to run him into the ground," Francona said. "He had two rehab games, and we told him that even before he went on his rehab. He'll probably play two-out-of-three this weekend... We'll have to balance all that. We're gonna probably have to do that with everybody anyway."
Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes was placed on the 10-day IL (lumbar bulging disc), retroactive to May 21. Hayes, a trade deadline pickup in 2025 as the Reds partially opted to double-down on defense in order to help them reach the postseason, came to Cincinnati with a history of back ailments.
Francona said he struggled with the current injury at points along the way over the first 50 games of the year. To date, Hayes had hit .142 with 17 hits and five RBI.
"He's always had (back) issues. I think the spasming has got to the point where it's kind of getting in the way," Francona said. "So, hopefully, get that settled down and get him going again and almost let him, when I say 'a minute,' take a deep breath so we can get the real Hayes."
As for the split doubleheader, the rained-out game of Friday, May 22 will be played Saturday, May 23 at 1:10 p.m., and Francona said pitcher Chris Paddack will start for Cincinnati.
Per the Reds, "Gates will open for the make-up game for Season Ticket Members at 11:40 am and the general public at 12:10 pm."
The originally-scheduled, nationally broadcast (FOX) 7:15 p.m. game time is unchanged, and the planned promotional giveaway − a bobblehead celebrating Hayes' 2025 NL third baseman Rawlings Gold Glove Award − will be distributed.
Chase Petty (0-0, 4.76 ERA in one MLB start) will rejoin the Reds from Triple-A Louisville to start the 7:15 p.m. game. It will be his second big-league start of 2026 after he made a spot-start for the Reds in the midst of pronounced injury problems that accumulated for the club's big-league starters in late April and early May.
Petty was one out shy of a quality start against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 4. He might have filled in for the Reds more recently but for a blister issue.
Petty last pitched May 17, going three innings and allowing seven runs on eight hits for the Louisville Bats, where his season record is 2-4 with a 6.32 ERA.
"He's kind of had good, so-so, good, bad, good," Francona said. "Like, fortunately, there's been more good than not-so-good, but it's been a little up and down."
Petty is scheduled to be opposed by the Cardinals' Andre Pallante (4-4, 4.04 ERA).
Brady Singer will pitch the series finale against the Cardinals on May 24, Francona said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What to know about the Reds' rainout, roster moves and doubleheader
Continue reading...
The first meeting of 2026 between National League Central division rivals, the Cincinnati Reds (26-24) and St. Louis Cardinals (28-21), was postponed due to persistent and heavy rain in Cincinnati on Friday, May 22, setting up a potentially hectic split doubleheader between the clubs May 23. The Reds announced two significant personnel moves Friday, May 23, too.
After the postponement was announced, Reds manager Terry Francona met with local media members to discuss the club's roster moves and some of the Cincinnati coaching staff's pitching plans for the Cardinals series.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the big weekend series between the Reds and Cardinals:
Eugenio Suárez in for Reds, Ke'Bryan Hayes to the IL
Reds designated hitter and third baseman Eugenio Suárez will return from the injured list (strained left oblique) that caused him to miss half of the club's 50 games.
Suárez was hitting .231 with 21 hits and 11 RBIs, and he had timely hits that directly helped lift the Reds to wins in April. He was a late scratch prior to an April 24 games against the Detroit Tigers, and last played April 22.
"We're gonna have to pick our spots a little early. We don't want to run him into the ground," Francona said. "He had two rehab games, and we told him that even before he went on his rehab. He'll probably play two-out-of-three this weekend... We'll have to balance all that. We're gonna probably have to do that with everybody anyway."
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Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes was placed on the 10-day IL (lumbar bulging disc), retroactive to May 21. Hayes, a trade deadline pickup in 2025 as the Reds partially opted to double-down on defense in order to help them reach the postseason, came to Cincinnati with a history of back ailments.
Francona said he struggled with the current injury at points along the way over the first 50 games of the year. To date, Hayes had hit .142 with 17 hits and five RBI.
"He's always had (back) issues. I think the spasming has got to the point where it's kind of getting in the way," Francona said. "So, hopefully, get that settled down and get him going again and almost let him, when I say 'a minute,' take a deep breath so we can get the real Hayes."
Reds-Cardinals, promotional weekend schedule
As for the split doubleheader, the rained-out game of Friday, May 22 will be played Saturday, May 23 at 1:10 p.m., and Francona said pitcher Chris Paddack will start for Cincinnati.
Per the Reds, "Gates will open for the make-up game for Season Ticket Members at 11:40 am and the general public at 12:10 pm."
The originally-scheduled, nationally broadcast (FOX) 7:15 p.m. game time is unchanged, and the planned promotional giveaway − a bobblehead celebrating Hayes' 2025 NL third baseman Rawlings Gold Glove Award − will be distributed.
Chase Petty (0-0, 4.76 ERA in one MLB start) will rejoin the Reds from Triple-A Louisville to start the 7:15 p.m. game. It will be his second big-league start of 2026 after he made a spot-start for the Reds in the midst of pronounced injury problems that accumulated for the club's big-league starters in late April and early May.
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Petty was one out shy of a quality start against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 4. He might have filled in for the Reds more recently but for a blister issue.
Petty last pitched May 17, going three innings and allowing seven runs on eight hits for the Louisville Bats, where his season record is 2-4 with a 6.32 ERA.
"He's kind of had good, so-so, good, bad, good," Francona said. "Like, fortunately, there's been more good than not-so-good, but it's been a little up and down."
Petty is scheduled to be opposed by the Cardinals' Andre Pallante (4-4, 4.04 ERA).
Brady Singer will pitch the series finale against the Cardinals on May 24, Francona said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What to know about the Reds' rainout, roster moves and doubleheader
Continue reading...
