The Cincinnati Reds head to Busch Stadium on Friday, July 24 for an 8:15 PM ET division matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals. Rhett Lowder gets the ball for Cincinnati against Cardinals starter Dustin May in what shapes up as a pitching-forward NL Central game. Division games in late July carry real weight in the standings, and a road win here would be a meaningful statement for a Reds club looking to climb in what remains a competitive NL Central race.
Reds vs. Cardinals Pitching Matchup: Lowder Faces May at Busch Stadium
Rhett Lowder draws the start for the Reds. The young right-hander has been one of Cincinnati's more intriguing arms this season, and a road start against a division rival is a genuine test of where he is in his development. Busch Stadium crowds are not easy to silence, and Lowder will need to command the zone from the first pitch to keep this game manageable early.
Dustin May gets the nod for St. Louis. May is a power arm with a history of missing bats when he is right, and Cardinals home starts tend to energize their fan base. The Reds lineup will need to be disciplined and work counts if they want to chase May early and get into the St. Louis bullpen.
Keys to Watch for the Cincinnati Reds on Friday Night
- Lowder's command under pressure: Busch Stadium is a tough environment. If Lowder pounds the zone and avoids walks, he gives Cincinnati a real chance to win this game. If he falls behind hitters early, May and the Cardinals home crowd will make this a long night.
- First-inning offense: Getting on the board early against May matters. The Reds do not want to spot St. Louis a lead and chase the game from behind in a road ballpark.
- Bullpen management: Both pitchers bear watching for pitch counts and matchup situations in the middle innings. The team that gets better relief innings in this one likely wins.
- Discipline at the plate: May can be hittable when hitters lay off his put-away stuff. The Reds need patient at-bats and to avoid expanding the zone against a pitcher who can generate weak contact when he has his best stuff working.
Prediction: Reds vs. Cardinals, July 24, 2026
Division road games in late July are rarely clean, and this one has the makings of a tight, low-scoring affair. Lowder matching May inning for inning is a real possibility, which puts a premium on timely hitting and clean defense. The Reds have enough talent in their lineup to scratch out runs against any starter, and if Lowder can give Cincinnati five solid innings, the bullpen gives this team a chance to close it out.
The pick: Reds 4, Cardinals 3. Catch the game on Reds.TV or on WLW 700 AM back in Cincinnati.
