This one is a spot-start situation for Cincinnati. With Brandon Williamson on the IL with shoulder fatigue, the Reds are calling up Chase Petty to make his MLB season debut. He's been fine in Triple-A — 4.38 ERA across six starts, 29 punchouts, and a reworked changeup paired with a two-seamer that's playing about two ticks harder than it did a year ago. Fine isn't ideal when the alternative is staying on the farm, but it's what the rotation can spare on a Monday in May.
Edward Cabrera is the opposite of a question mark right now. He's 3-0 with a 3.06 ERA, and the headline stat is the consistency: six starts, every one of them at least five innings, every one of them three earned runs or fewer. That's the kind of floor that pairs really well with an offense that just dropped eight on Arizona.
- Day-To-DayRhett Lowder (SP) — Lowder was given an injection in the AC joint of his right shoulder after an MRI on Friday came back negative, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayConnor Burns (C) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayJosh Staumont (RP) — The Twins reinstated Staumont (calf) from the 15-day injured list Friday and optioned him to Triple-A St. Paul, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILEugenio Suarez (3B) — Suarez (oblique) took 50 swings Thursday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILCaleb Ferguson (RP) — Ferguson (oblique) allowed one run on one hit and struck out two over one inning for Double-A Chattanooga on Friday.05/08
- 15-Day-ILEmilio Pagan (RP) — Pagan said Wednesday that he's been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and is expected to be sidelined 4-to-8 weeks, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.05/08
- OutCarson Spiers (SP) — The Reds re-signed Spiers (elbow) to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training Monday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILHunter Greene (SP) — Greene (elbow) is playing catch from 110 feet and is about three weeks away from progressing to bullpen sessions, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Williamson (SP) — The Reds transferred Williamson (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08
- Day-To-DayBrandon Birdsell (RP) — Birdsell (elbow) will miss the entire 2026 season, Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayJeff Brigham (RP) — Brigham was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul, retroactive to April 6, with a left oblique strain, TwinsDaily.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayJaxon Wiggins (SP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Wiggins was placed on Triple-A Iowa's 7-day injured list Wednesday due to right elbow inflammation, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — Harvey was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right triceps Friday, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILJordan Wicks (RP) — Wicks (elbow) struck out two batters and allowed one hit and one walk over three scoreless innings Saturday in a rehab start for Triple-A Iowa.05/08
- 15-Day-ILMatthew Boyd (SP) — Boyd underwent a successful menisectomy Thursday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — Martin has been diagnosed with flexor strain in his left elbow and is expected to miss eight weeks, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILCaleb Thielbar (RP) — The Cubs placed Thielbar on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left hamstring strain.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Steele's (elbow) setback will keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — The Cubs placed Miller (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
The injury list is doing the Reds no favors. Hunter Greene is on the 60-day with the elbow, Eugenio Suárez's oblique is still tender, and the bullpen is patched together with Caleb Ferguson rehabbing and Pierce Johnson on the bereavement list. Nick Lodolo is at least trending toward a Friday return against Houston, which gives Cincinnati something to look forward to even if Monday looks like a tough draw.
The path for the Reds is the same as it's been all weekend: scratch out runs early and hope the bullpen holds. Against a Cubs lineup that's slugging at home and a starter who hasn't given anyone room to breathe, that's a lot to ask. Cabrera and a packed Wrigley feels like the safer bet on paper, but that's why they play it.