The Reds and Cardinals are set for a day-night doubleheader on Monday, with the opener serving as a makeup for the game postponed on May 24. Game 1 is scheduled for 1:40 p.m.
ET, and the nightcap is set for 6:40 p.m. ET.
Cincinnati is handing the ball to Kent Emanuel, who is making a quick leap from independent ball to the majors. Just two weeks ago, the left-hander was pitching for the High Point Rockers. He signed with the Reds, turned in a strong outing for Triple-A Louisville on Sunday the 9th, and now finds himself back in the big leagues for the first time since 2024, when he pitched out of the Miami Marlins bullpen.
Emanuel’s recent track record in independent ball was solid. He made nine starts for High Point this season, covering 47.0 innings with nine walks and 53 strikeouts while posting a 2.30 ERA. The Reds don’t have split data for him, and the sample from that level of play would be tough to lean on anyway.
At Triple-A this year, Emanuel’s pitch mix featured a 2-seam fastball, cutter, slider and changeup. The fastball sat at 89.6 mph, the cutter at 84.9, the slider at 78.2 and the changeup at 82.0. Usage was split at 34 percent for the 2-seamer, 8 percent for the cutter, 34 percent for the slider and 24 percent for the changeup.
St. Louis will counter with Quinn Mathews, who has already gotten a taste of the majors this month.
The lefty was called up earlier in August to start in Toronto against the Blue Jays, where he gave up two runs on six hits and three walks over 5.0 innings in his MLB debut. He was sent back to Triple-A after that outing, then made two more starts for Memphis.
Across 21 starts there this season, he has a 3.27 ERA in 99.0 innings.
Mathews has shown some unusual split numbers across Triple-A and the majors in 2026. Right-handed hitters and left-handed hitters are both batting roughly the same average against him, and that average is extremely low.
Righties are making more contact and drawing more walks, but it hasn’t translated into more hits. They are doing a little more damage power-wise, though not by much.
Lefties are walking at a solid clip, but they are not putting much contact on the ball, and the power has been minimal when they do.
His pitch mix includes a 4-seam fastball, 2-seam fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. The 4-seamer sits at 94.1 mph, the 2-seamer at 93.7, the curveball at 76.0, the slider at 85.4 and the changeup at 82.6. Usage breaks down to 38 percent on the 4-seamer, 13 percent on the 2-seamer, 11 percent on the curve, 23 percent on the slider and 16 percent on the change.
The lineup card for the opener features Joshua Baez leading off in left field for St. Louis, followed by Ivan Herrera at designated hitter, Jordan Walker in right field, Alec Burleson at first base, Jose Fermin at second, Masyn Winn at shortstop, Blaze Jordan at third, Everson Pereira in center and Pedro Pages behind the plate. Cincinnati’s order starts with Elly De La Cruz at shortstop, Sal Stewart at first, Tyler Stephenson at catcher, Eugenio Suarez at DH, Dane Myers in center, Michael Toglia in left, Matt McLain at second, Noelvi Marte in right and Ke’Bryan Hayes at third.
Cincinnati made a roster move to create room for Emanuel, designating reliever Ron Marinaccio for assignment after he pitched yesterday and allowed five runs in 1.1 innings against the Marlins.
There was also movement on the pitching side in Triple-A. Tony Santillan threw a perfect inning with a strikeout yesterday, needing 13 pitches and landing eight for strikes.
His fastball reached 93.6 mph on Sunday, a slight improvement over his previous outing. Brandon Williamson gave up one run in 3.2 innings on five hits and struck out two for Louisville.
Entering the day, Milwaukee leads the division at 77-48 and is listed at 100.0 percent playoff odds. Chicago sits at 72-53, 5.0 games back, with 97.9 percent odds.
St. Louis is 63-61 and 13.5 games back, with 9.1 percent odds.
Pittsburgh is 61-65, 16.5 games back, with 3.7 percent odds. Cincinnati is 59-64 and 17.0 games back, with playoff odds at 0.2 percent.
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