NL CENTRAL STANDINGS

Team	W-L	GB	Strk
Brewers	30-18	-	W4
Cardinals	28-21	2.5	L2
Cubs	29-22	2.5	L6
Reds	26-24	5.0	W2
Pirates	26-25	5.5	L1

RECENT RESULTS (LAST 10)

Date	Opp	H/A	Result
May 21	PIT	Home	L 2-6
May 20	PIT	Home	L 0-7
May 19	PIT	Home	W 9-6 (10)
May 17	KC	Home	L 0-2
May 16	KC	Home	W 4-2
May 15	KC	Home	W 5-4 (11)
May 14	OAK	Away	W 5-4
May 13	OAK	Away	L 2-6
May 12	OAK	Away	W 6-4
May 10	SD	Away	L 2-3 (10)

STARTING PITCHERS

Andre Pallante (R) -- Cardinals

2026 to date: 4-4, 4.04 ERA, 1.35 WHIP across 9 GS / 49.0 IP. 40 K against 19 BB (18.8% K%, 8.9% BB%). 59.6% GB% -- the highest ground-ball rate of any Cardinals starter on the active roster. 6 HR allowed on 47 H. The contact-management profile fits a road start at a hitter-leaning park; the open question is whether 8.9% BB% holds against a Reds lineup that walks comfortably.

Chris Paddack (R) -- Reds

2026 to date: 0-5, 7.07 ERA, 1.63 WHIP across 7 GS / 35.2 IP. 30 K against 11 BB (17.8% K%, 6.5% BB%). 49.4% GB%. 6 HR allowed on 47 H. The K and BB rates are workable, but the contact damage has been punishing -- a 7.07 ERA with 6 HR in 35.2 IP says the misses in the zone are getting hit hard.

EXPECTED LINEUPS

Cardinals (Projected from 2026-05-22)

#	Player	Pos	Bats	2026 RISP AVG	2026 RISP OPS
1	Wetherholt	2B	L	.324	.928
2	Herrera	DH	R	.257	.858
3	Burleson	1B	L	.339	.899
4	Walker	RF	R	.286	.924
5	Gorman	3B	L	.220	.651
6	Winn	SS	R	.190	.550
7	Church	CF	L	--	--
8	Saggese	LF	R	.158	.411
9	Pagés	C	R	.129	.402

Handedness: 5 RHB (Herrera, Walker, Winn, Saggese, Pagés), 4 LHB (Wetherholt, Burleson, Gorman, Church).

Reds (From active roster)

13 players listed from active roster pool. Actual game lineup will be 9 from this group.

Player	Pos	Bats
Dunn	RF	R
Myers	CF	R
Cruz	SS	S
Suárez	3B	R
Bleday	LF	L
McLain	2B	R
Lowe	DH	L
Higgins	C	R
Stewart	1B	R
Steer	LF	R
Friedl	CF	L
Stephenson	C	R
Benson	RF	L

Handedness: 8 RHB (Dunn, Myers, Suárez, McLain, Higgins, Stewart, Steer, Stephenson), 4 LHB (Bleday, Lowe, Friedl, Benson).

INJURIES & ROSTER NOTES

No injury or roster-move notes available for today.

KEY MATCHUPS & WATCHLIST

Jordan Walker vs Chris Paddack. Walker's .286 AVG / .924 OPS on 67 RISP PA meets a Paddack profile that has already surrendered 6 HR in 35.2 IP. The cleanup bat is the right matchup to punish a 7.07-ERA arm carrying a 1.63 WHIP.

JJ Bleday vs Andre Pallante. Bleday's 1.289 RISP OPS (.421 / .500 / .789 on 24 PA) is the loudest single line on either roster. Pallante's 59.6% GB% and 18.8% K% project to keep the ball in play -- exactly the look Bleday has been crushing with runners on.

Wetherholt + Burleson vs Paddack. The left-handed top of the order is hot with runners on -- Wetherholt .324 AVG / .928 OPS on 46 RISP PA, Burleson .339 / .899 on 63. Paddack's 1.63 WHIP keeps traffic on, and these are the two bats built to convert it.

X-factor. Sal Stewart. 58 RISP PA, .255 AVG, .574 SLG, .936 OPS -- the highest-volume right-handed slugger in the Reds' RISP sample. He is the pivot bat that turns a Bleday walk into a multi-run inning if Pallante misses up.

QUICK REFERENCE -- IN-GAME QUERIES

1. How has Jordan Walker performed against Chris Paddack in their career?

2. How has Andre Pallante fared against JJ Bleday in their career?

3. How has Riley O'Brien performed against Nathaniel Lowe in their career?

4. What are Chris Paddack's third-time-through-the-order splits in 2025?

5. What are Jordan Walker's splits vs RHP in 2025?

6. How often does JoJo Romero strand inherited runners in 2025?

7. What is the home run park factor at Great American Ball Park in 2025?