Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres
Game 1: 6:40 p.m. Monday (Padres.TV)
Game 2: 6:40 p.m. Tuesday (Padres.TV)
Game 3: 1:10 p.m. Wednesday (Padres.TV)
In the standings
Cincinnati Reds (31-33, 5th in NL Central)
The Reds are riding a four-game losing streak into Petco Park, which has dropped them 9½ games off the Brewers’ pace in their division. They are 2 ½ games out of a wild-card spot. The Reds won four of six last year against the Padres.
San Diego Padres (33-31, 3rd in NL West)
The Padres have lost 11 of 13 to fall eight games behind the Dodgers in the division and a half-game out of a wild-card spot. They are 17-18 at home and have a minus-18 run differential.
Trending
Cincinnati: The Reds are tied for 28th with a minus-51 run differential, 16th in OPS (.708), 23rd in rotation ERA (4.60) and 29th in bullpen ERA (5.12). 2B Matt McLain has three homers to start June (1.412 OPS), while OF Spencer Steer (.939 OPS in June) has two. Meantime, the Reds are enduring a June swoon so far from 1B Sal Stewart (.501 OPS), OF JJ Bleday (.454 OPS), 1B Nathaniel Lowe (.321 OPS) and 3B Eugenio Suarez (.311 OPS). For the season, LHP Brock Burke (3.26 ERA) leads the team with 33 appearances, followed by 31 from LHP Sam Moll (2.96) and 28 from RHP Tony Santillan (6.29).
San Diego: A struggling office has spiraled in June with a .172/.245/.274 batting line through the first six games. The Padres have five homers this month, including two from C Freddy Fermin (1.182 OPS). They also have one each from OF Jackson Merrill (.481 OPS in June), 1B Gavin Sheets (.461) and 3B Manny Machado (.375). OF Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .333/.360/.417 to start the month, while SS Xander Bogaerts is 1-for-19 for a .234 OPS to start June.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Pitching matchups
Monday
Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (4-3, 4.06 ERA) | He’s got a 2.25 ERA over his last seven starts, which include four quality starts. Abbott has a 2.81 ERA on the road and a 5.15 ERA at Great American Ball Park. He is 2-0 with an 0.98 ERA, 24 strikeouts and an 0.94 WHIP in four starts in his career against the Padres.
Padres RHP Walker Buehler (3-3, 4.53 ERA) | He’s coming off his third quality start in 12 trips to the mound. He struck out six and allowed a run on four hits and two walks in six innings. Buehler has a 3.50 ERA at home and a 6.23 ERA away from Petco Park. Buehler has a 3.00 ERA in eight starts against the Reds, the last in 2024 (11⅔ IP, 3 ER across two starts).
Tuesday
Reds RHP Chase Burns (7-1, 2.05 ERA) | He tied a season high with nine strikeouts in his last start, a quality start (6 IP, 2 ER) in a loss for the Reds. Burns has allowed two runs or less in his last nine starts (1.67 ERA). This is his first career start against the Padres.
Padres RHP Lucas Giolito (2-1, 4.86 ERA) | He’s struck out 11 against 13 walks through his first four starts (16⅔ IP), although he struck out five and walked one in his last start (4 IP, 2 ER). Giolito has an 8.16 ERA in three career starts against the Reds, including two in 2023 (9⅓ IP, 6 ER).
Wednesday
Reds RHP Brady Singer (2-6, 5.89 ERA) | The former Royal is allowing hitters a .316/.374/.590 batting line and has already given up 17 homers, five shy of his career high. Singer has given up multiple homers in five of his last seven starts. Singer’s only appearance against the Padres was a win in a start in 2023 (6 IP, 4 R, 2 ER).
Padres RHP Michael King (4-5, 3.41 ERA) | King has a 7.47 ERA over his last three starts, all losses. He has allowed four of his eight homers over that stretch. This will be King’s first appearance against the Reds.
2026 qualifying leaders
OPS: Reds—SS Elly De La Cruz (.855), 1B Sal Stewart (.801), OF Spencer Steer (.792); Padres—1B Gavin Sheets (.777), OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.670), OF Ramón Laureano (.660).
HRs: Reds—De La Cruz (12), Stewart (12), OF JJ Bleday (10); Padres—3B Manny Machado (11), Sheets (10), SS Xander Bogaerts (8).
RBIs: Reds—Stewart (39), De La Cruz (37), Bleday (28); Padres—Machado (32), Bogaerts (27), Sheets (25).
Steals: Reds—De La Cruz (10), Stewart (10), 2B Matt McLain (7); Padres—Tatis (15), OF Jackson Merrill (10), Bogaerts (9).
Saves: Reds—RHP Emilio Pagan (6-for-9, 6.43 ERA), RHP Tony Santillan (2-for-5, 6.29 ERA); Padres—RHP Mason Miller (18-for-18, 1.01 ERA).
Holds: Reds—Santillan (11), RHP Graham Ashcraft (10, 3.33 ERA), LHP Brock Burke (73.26 ERA); Padres—RHP Jason Adam (13, 1.64 ERA), LHP Adrián Morejón (11, 4.60 ERA), RHP Jeremiah Estrada (6, 3.48 ERA).
Training room
Cincinnati: SS Elly De La Cruz could return from his hamstring strain by the end of the month, while 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (back) remains without a timetable. C Jose Trevino (hamstring) could return by the end of the week. Meantime, the pitching staff is without RHPs Hunter Greene (elbow), Graham Ashcraft (UCL), Emilio Pagan (hamstring) and Pierce Johnson (elbow) and LHP Brandon Williamson (shoulder).
San Diego: DH Miguel Andujar is day-to-day after exiting Sunday’s game with a hamstring tweak. OF Ramón Laureano will likely miss the rest of the year after undergoing surgery to repair a labrum tear in his hip. C Luis Campusano (toe) is nearing a rehab assignment, while 2B Jake Cronenworth (concussion) remains without a timetable but is increasing baseball activity. RHP Jeremiah Estrada (knee inflammation) isn’t expected to miss much time after landing on the injured list on Friday. RHP Germán Márquez (forearm nerve) is making rehab starts at Triple-A El Paso. RHPs Matt Waldron (brachialis), Nick Pivetta (flexor) and Joe Musgrove (Tommy John) are working through throwing programs.