Rhett Lowder Is Back After Giving Up 11 Runs, And The Reds Are 2-12 Against Rivals. What Now?

The Cincinnati Reds are in a full-blown meltdown, and their last shot to save face against the St. Louis Cardinals is hanging by a thread. Right-hander Rhett Lowder is back on the mound for Sunday's finale, their big hope to snap a brutal losing streak and avoid a series sweep. Early this season, things are not looking good for them.

Reds Are Just Bleeding Against Their Rivals

Seriously, it's rough. The Reds have lost three in a row, blowing leads of 3-0 Friday and 5-3 Saturday, only to lose both. Their record against National League Central rivals? A woeful 2-12. They started hot at 20-11, but now they're 11-21 since then, falling below .500 for the first time since Opening Day. Their pitching coach, Derek Johnson, is on indefinite leave, with assistant Matt Tracy stepping in. Spencer Steer said, "It's about execution and bouncing back. We have the talent in this clubhouse to score runs against anyone. We know what Michael McGreevy brings to the table, but we just need to stick to our approach, get guys on base, and play clean baseball."

Lowder's Big Return: Hope or Heartbreak?

Here's the "hope" part: Rhett Lowder, 24, is coming back to the rotation after missing a month with weakness in his right shoulder. He said they "kind of got the problem and narrowed it down pretty early, so it was just hyper-specific work to do strengthening some areas." But his two starts before hitting the 15-day injured list were a disaster. He was hammered by Pittsburgh and Chicago, giving up 11 runs and eight walks in just 4 1/3 innings! Lowder (3-3, 5.40 ERA) had his first major league win against the Cardinals in 2024, his lone career appearance against them.

Cardinals Are Just Crushing It

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals are on a three-game winning streak and looking to complete the sweep. Their right-hander, Michael McGreevy (3-5, 2.98 ERA), is making his 13th start and has been consistently stable, dominating the Reds in his two career starts against them, going 2-0 with a microscopic 0.69 ERA. Their offense is electric. They scored 10 runs in the series opener Friday, leaning on Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson. Walker hit his 16th homer Saturday, his third this season against Cincinnati alone! The Cardinals have put up 30 runs in just four matchups with the Reds this season, winning three of those first four. Manager Oliver Marmol said, "We are putting together quality at-bats when it matters most. Alec and Jordan are doing a phenomenal job of driving the ball, and we took advantage of some key opportunities. Against a team like Cincinnati, you have to capitalize on mistakes, and we did that."

So, the Reds are desperate for a win on Sunday to avoid a sweep by a rival who is just steamrolling them. Can Lowder turn things around, or will the Cardinals continue their dominant run, putting the Reds in a deep hole early this season? We'll be watching to see if they can find any answers. Oh, and by the way, our Mariners took down the Detroit Tigers yesterday, 4-0. Go M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.