St. Louis Cardinals defeated Cincinnati Reds 9-4 on Monday night, May 23, 2026, at Busch Stadium, improving their NL Central standing while juggling a growing injury list. The win came despite lower‑body concerns for outfielder Dylan Church and a pending return for infielder Michael Nootbaar from the 60‑day IL.
Cardinals starter Matt Pallante (4-4, 4.04 ERA) held the Reds to three runs through six innings, striking out nine and issuing just one walk. Reliever Matt Burke secured a hold after two quick outs, preserving the lead and showcasing the bullpen’s depth that has been a cornerstone of St. Louis’ resurgence this season.
St. Louis’ offense posted 4.5 runs per game this season, edging the league average of 4.3 and signaling a modest uptick in production after a sluggish April in which the club averaged just 3.7 runs. The bench’s contribution—four extra‑base hits and two stolen bases—illustrates a balanced attack that has begun to click under the guidance of hitting coach Mike Matheny, a former Cardinals catcher and 2015 World Series champion who emphasizes plate discipline and situational hitting.
Recent History and Context
The Cardinals entered the series 9-4 in the NL Central, having split the previous two meetings with Cincinnati. Their last road win over the Reds was on May 17, when they fell 10-3 in Cleveland. The victory restores momentum after a 10‑loss stretch that saw the club slip to third place earlier in the month. Historically, the Cardinals have dominated the Central in the past decade, capturing three division titles (2021, 2023, 2024) and a National League pennant in 2023. This season, however, the division has tightened; the Milwaukee Brewers sit atop the standings at 10-3, while the Chicago Cubs have surged to 9-5, making every series critical.
For Cincinnati, the series was an opportunity to halt a five‑game losing streak that has exposed a porous rotation and a bullpen that ranks 12th in the NL in inherited runners scored. The Reds, under third‑year manager David Bell, have struggled to translate a promising 2024 core—highlighted by outfielder Nick Castellanos and rookie pitcher Jaxson St. John—into consistent results. Their 6.26 ERA (see below) underscores a staff that has regressed sharply from a 4.12 league‑average ERA in 2024.
Key Details from the Game
The game opened with Cardinals leadoff hitter Paul Goldschmidt drawing a walk, then advancing on a sacrifice bunt by Tommy Edman. Pallante quickly settled, retiring the first three Reds batters on a groundout, a strikeout, and a pop‑fly. The first run came in the third inning when Jordan Walker doubled to left, scored on a sacrifice fly by Ian Happ, and then added an RBI single that put the Cardinals up 2-0.
Reds starter Nick Lodolo (2-6, 6.26 ERA) struggled to find the strike zone, issuing four walks in the first two innings. He was pulled after conceding three runs in 4 2/3 innings, replaced by reliever Nick Anderson, who inherited a 3-1 deficit. The Cardinals added two more runs in the fourth when Michael Nootbaar—still on the 60‑day IL—was replaced in the lineup by rookie Jordan Walker, who launched a two‑run homer to deep right field.
Burke entered in the seventh with two outs and a runner on third. He induced a groundout to end the inning, then faced two batters in the eighth, allowing two singles but escaping without damage. His hold marked his third consecutive appearance in a winning effort, cementing his role as a bridge between starter Pallante and closer Alex Reyes, who recorded the final three outs in the ninth.
The Cardinals’ team ERA sits at 4.04, ranking 7th in the NL, a modest improvement from 9th a month ago. By contrast, the Reds’ staff struggles with a 6.26 ERA, the worst among qualified NL starters, a stark disparity that has dictated the outcome of the series. The differential is reflected in FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching): St. Louis 3.92 versus Cincinnati 5.84, indicating that the Cardinals are generating more strikeouts and limiting walks, while the Reds are over‑relying on defense to stay afloat.
Key Developments
- Outfielder Dylan Church was placed on the 10‑day injured list on Friday due to a lower‑body issue (tightness in his right hamstring). Church, a 27‑year‑old who posted a .285/.360/.470 slash line over 95 games last season, is expected to return as early as May 31 if cleared by the team’s medical staff.
- Infielder Michael Nootbaar is targeting June 1 for activation from the 60‑day IL after recovering from a Grade 2 flexor strain in his left elbow. Nootbaar, a left‑handed power bat who hit 22 homers in 2023, provides a crucial left‑right balance to a lineup that has hit only 41% of its runs against left‑handed starters.
- Right‑handed starter Jordan Lowder (5-2, 3.71 ERA) is dealing with shoulder inflammation. The club’s internal MRI shows no structural damage, and the medical team projects a start early next week, giving the rotation a fourth reliable arm as the schedule intensifies with back‑to‑back series against the Brewers and Cubs.
- Cardinals’ bullpen ERA of 3.68 ranks 5th in the NL, reflecting the impact of recent acquisitions: veteran reliever Matt Burke (signed in the off‑season) and hard‑throwing lefty Andrew Kittredge, who posted a 2.12 ERA in 32 appearances last year.
- Reds’ starter Nick Lodolo remains the only member of the Cincinnati rotation with a sub‑5.00 ERA (5.02 after this start), but his high walk rate (5.4 BB/9) and elevated WHIP (1.58) have made him a liability in high‑leverage spots.
Impact and What’s Next
With the win, St. Louis moves within a game of the division lead, but the injury list could test depth as the June stretch approaches. If Nootbaar returns on schedule, his left‑handed bat adds balance to a lineup that has struggled against right‑handed relievers; his career OPS of .914 against right‑handed pitchers suggests a potential 0.15‑run per game boost—a margin that can separate first from third in a tight Central.
The Cardinals’ rotation now features five healthy arms: Pallante, Lowder, Jack Flaherty (6-3, 3.84 ERA), rookie Jordan Montgomery (2-1, 4.12 ERA), and the returning Mike Mikolas (1-0, 2.97 ERA) after a brief stint on the IL for a sore elbow. Manager Oliver Marmol has emphasized a “four‑pitch fastball‑first” approach, encouraging pitchers to locate fastballs up in the zone to set up breaking balls, a strategy that has lowered the team’s average fastball velocity to 93.2 mph but increased swing‑and‑miss rates to 13.4%.
On the offensive side, the Cardinals have leaned on veteran consistency and youthful burst. Goldschmidt, now 35, posted a .311/.390/.525 line in his first 30 games, while 24‑year‑old Jordan Walker contributed a .298/.367/.512 slash line with 12 homers and 45 RBIs. The synergy between the two has been a focal point for Matheny, who uses video analysis to fine‑tune Walker’s launch angle, resulting in a league‑best average of 22.5 degrees on fly balls—a factor that has turned routine outs into extra‑base hits.
For Cincinnati, the loss deepens a hole that now places the Reds five games behind the Cardinals and eight behind the Brewers. The club’s front office, led by President of Baseball Operations Nick Weiner, is rumored to be exploring a trade for a left‑handed reliever before the July deadline, targeting a high‑leverage arm such as Josh Hader or Brad Hand. The Reds’ lack of depth in the bullpen—averaging 1.14 inherited runners per appearance—has forced manager Bell to lean heavily on starter Lucas Giolito in relief, a move that has raised concerns about long‑term durability.
Analysts note that the Cardinals’ run production of 4.5 per game, while above league average, still trails the NL Central leader’s 5.2 runs per game (Milwaukee). The margin underscores the importance of situational hitting; St. Louis has a .285 batting average with runners in scoring position, ranking fourth in the NL, but a sub‑.250 average with two outs, ranking 11th. Closing that gap will likely involve leveraging the platoon advantage that Nootbaar provides and extracting more from the bottom of the order, particularly J.T. Realmuto, who recorded a .268/.340/.492 line in his first 20 games.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals face a three‑game series against the Brewers at home beginning May 27. That matchup pits two of the division’s best bullpens against each other and will be a litmus test for the Cardinals’ ability to sustain their recent surge while navigating the injury list. A win would place them atop the Central with a 12‑4 record, while a loss could hand the Brewers a two‑game cushion.
When is Dylan Church expected to return from the injured list?
Church was placed on the 10‑day IL on Friday; under MLB rules he could be activated as early as May 31 if medically cleared. The Cardinals have indicated they will give him a gradual return, likely limiting his first three games to 2‑3 at‑bats per game to monitor hamstring fatigue.
How does Nootbaar’s potential June 1 activation affect the Cardinals’ lineup?
Nootbaar provides a left‑handed power bat that improves the Cardinals’ split‑handedness, a factor that has helped them win 60% of games against right‑handed starters this season (analysis). His career OPS of .925 against right‑handed pitching suggests an incremental increase of 0.12 runs per game, a boost that could be decisive in close division races.
What is the significance of the Cardinals’ 4.04 team ERA?
A 4.04 ERA ranks seventh in the NL, a climb from ninth a month ago, indicating the staff’s gradual improvement and its impact on the club’s playoff chances. The reduction is largely attributable to lower walk rates (2.9 BB/9) and an increased strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.1), both metrics that correlate strongly with postseason success.
How does the Reds’ 6.26 ERA compare historically?
The Reds’ 6.26 ERA is the worst among qualified NL starters this year, a steep drop from their 4.12 ERA average in 2024, underscoring a pitching crisis that the Cardinals exploited. Historically, a team posting an ERA above 6.00 typically finishes in the bottom three of the league, and only 12% of such teams have made the postseason in the past two decades.
