CINCINNATI -- Heavy rains and the threat of severe weather in the area forced the postponement of Tuesday night’s game between the Cardinals and Reds at Great American Ball Park.
The game will be made up as the opener of a split doubleheader on Wednesday, with the first game beginning at 12:40 p.m./11:40 a.m. CT. The nightcap is set for 6:40 ET/5:40 CT.
The Reds, riding a five-game winning streak, will open with Tuesday’s scheduled starter Brady Singer (4-0, 3.62 ERA) in Game 1. Cincinnati has not made a decision on its starter for Game 2.
The Cardinals will counter with right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-2, 5.70 ERA) in the first game and lefty Steven Matz (2-0, 1.80 ERA) in the nightcap. St. Louis (12-17) is looking to avoid one of its worst 30-game starts to a season in the Wild Card era (since 1994). Only the 2023 Cards (10-20) got off to a worst start during that time frame.
Mikolas, 36, authored his finest start of the season last Wednesday in Atlanta by shutting out the Braves over six innings. Mikolas mixed his pitches well and kept the ball out of the middle of the plate -- something that will be important in Great American Ball Park.
The veteran right-hander has mostly struggled in his career in Cincinnati, where he has gone 2-4 with a 5.91 ERA and 10 homers allowed in 42 2/3 innings.
Matz, 33, signed a four-year, $44 million free-agent contract with the Cardinals before the 2022 season, but he has seen his first three years in St. Louis marred by injuries and inconsistencies. This season, however, he’s been off to his strongest start as a member of the Cards.
Matz has bounced back and forth between a reliever role and a spot in the six-man starting rotation, and he has turned into one of the most valuable pitchers on the staff. In his eight appearances this season, he made one start, notched two wins and recorded the first save of his MLB career.
On April 16 (as a reliever) and April 22 (as a starter), he became the first Cardinals pitcher since Michael McGreevy last September to pick up a win in back-to-back appearances as a reliever and a starter. Thus far, Matz has pitched to a 1.80 ERA and has struck out 14 hitters compared to just three walks over 20 innings.
Fans holding tickets for Tuesday’s game may present their same ticket for the makeup game on Wednesday, with no exchange necessary.
Visit reds.com/rainout for more information.