Reds place Miley (flexor strain) on IL before dropping opener to Cardinals

ST. LOUIS -- The Reds suffered a pair of losses on Friday.

The first setback came before the game as the team placed left-hander Wade Miley on the 15-day injured list with a left flexor strain and recalled right-hander Connor Phillips from Triple-A Louisville.

Then came the game, a sloppy 6-1 loss to the Cardinals in the first of a three-game series.

Reds starter Brady Singer was the victim of a tough-luck loss. Singer (7-5) allowed just one run on four hits, one walk and a hit batter in six innings. He struck out seven.

“Boy, did he battle,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “I mean, you know, six innings, and there was some traffic, but he gave up one. A lot of nights we’re talking about, ‘Hey, that was a great job and way to go.’”

Singer settled in after pitching around traffic on the bases in each of his first four innings, retiring the final nine batters he faced.

“I think just, you know, kind of hit my spots a little bit more,” Singer said. “A little shaky in the first few innings with command and kind of was able to settle in toward the end.”

Alec Burleson’s sacrifice fly scoring Brendan Donovan in the third inning was the only run Singer allowed.

The Cardinals broke it open, scoring five runs on just two hits in the seventh. The rally was aided by three walks, a hit batter and a throwing error by Gavin Lux that allowed a pair of runs to score.

“Good teams that feel good about themselves, you give them either extra opportunities or extra chances, and it's rare where it doesn't hurt you,” Francona said.

Cardinals starter Andre Pallante allowed just two hits and one walk in six-plus innings against a Reds offense that averaged 5.8 runs in their previous 12 games.

Miley’s IL placement is retroactive to Tuesday.

“I guess maybe I did it against the Tigers. … I don't know,” Miley said before the game. “I just knew I woke up Monday morning and I was in pain, and Tuesday didn't get a lot better, little better Wednesday, and I tried to throw each day and I’m like, ‘This ain't right.’ I’ve been throwing enough to know the difference between soreness and pain.”

An MRI revealed the injury.

“I think it's been bothering him for a while,” Francona said. “I think he's probably an incredibly tough kid, which I think we already knew. His ability to actually get Major League hitters out when he was probably feeling like that is pretty incredible.”

The Reds signed Miley, 38, to a one-year deal on June 4. He is 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three appearances (two starts) this season.

Miley’s debut with the Reds on June 4 marked his return after an almost 14-month absence while he recovered from a torn UCL he suffered in 2024 while pitching for the Brewers.

The left flexor strain, coming on the heels of that prolonged recovery, plus Miley’s age complicates a possible return.

Francona said the club will support Miley in whatever he decides.

“I think it makes it a little more emotional for him,” Francona said. “I get it. I mean, the guy loves baseball. You can tell if you've been around him for two minutes, and you know, in my short time with him, even in just Spring Training, he wasn't even pitching, that he's hard not to like.”

Miley’s injury leaves a hole in the Reds’ starting rotation for Saturday’s game. The club added right-hander Chase Petty to the taxi squad; Francona said he will be activated before the game but announced after Friday’s game that Brent Suter will start a bullpen game.

The Reds also sent infielder Noelvi Marte (left oblique strain) on a rehab assignment to the ACL Reds. Marte will spend the weekend there and is expected to join Louisville in St. Paul on Tuesday.

Marte’s progress was a positive note as the team lost its second straight game. But the Reds are still feeling good after winning nine of their previous 12 games.

“I think we’re in a great spot,” Singer said. “Obviously lost one tonight, but I’m trusting my guys, I trust this team. We've had a great season so far. It's going to keep going.”