Nick Lodolo takes the rubber looking to complete a series sweep for Cincinnati, but his 5.21 ERA raises real questions about sustainability. Lodolo's four-pitch mix — fastball, curveball, changeup, sinker — is deceptive in design but has been hittable in 2026, with velocity sitting 89-90 mph. He'll need quality sequencing to navigate a Mets lineup anchored by Juan Soto, who leads New York with 15 HR and a .290 average. Soto has been the lone offensive constant for a banged-up Mets squad missing Lindor, Robert, and Polanco. Nolan McLean counters with a power profile — 95 mph sinker, 96 mph four-seamer — and strong spin rates averaging 2550 RPM. His pitch mix is ground-ball oriented, which plays well in GABP to some extent, though the park still favors hitters. McLean has been workable, logging 93-101 pitches per start, but the Reds have momentum at home and the Mets carry a 14-23 road mark that underscores their road struggles. Cincinnati's IL list is concerning long-term — Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, and Brandon Williamson are all out — but the immediate roster is functional after activating Trevino. The Mets are in a worse spot with Polanco now on the 60-day IL and Christian Scott shelved, relying on recalled arms like Pintaro and Myers for depth. Elly De La Cruz's absence hurts the Reds' upside, but this team has won two straight and appears locked in at home. The bullpen edge goes to Cincinnati. The Mets' pen has been taxed and depleted by injury, while Cincinnati's unit — though missing Pagán and Pierce Johnson — has had more rest coming off a dominant 12-0 win two days ago.

Scoring Dynamics

Early (1-3) 2R Pitchers establish early, low first 3 innings

Middle (4-6) 4R Lodolo tires mid-game, Reds offense breaks through

Late (7-9) 2R Bullpens tighten it up, Reds pen holds

Matchup Analysis

Reds

2-game series win streak

Strong home run differential

Lodolo solid pitch mix

Cincinnati home park edge

Banged-up rotation depth

Below-average offense season-long

Mets

Juan Soto elite production

McLean high velo sinker arsenal

Semien veteran presence

14-23 road record

Heavy IL losses Lindor/Robert/Polanco

Risk Factors

Lodolo ERA over 5, volatile

Mets bullpen thin with recalls

Key Matchups

Juan Soto vs Nick Lodolo batter Soto's .290 avg and elite plate discipline vs Lodolo's 5.21 ERA

Matt McLain vs Nolan McLean pitcher McLean's heavy sinker suppresses McLain's pull-side power

Nathaniel Lowe vs Nolan McLean batter Lowe's .257 avg and patience can work sinker-heavy pitchers

Statistical Edges

First to Score Reds 54%

Strikeouts 14 11-17

Total Runs 8 6-11

Game Preview

Great American Ball Park hosts the rubber match of this three-game series under warm June sunshine, 78 degrees and a mild southwest breeze. Cincinnati comes in riding confidence after winning the first two games of the series, including an emphatic 12-0 blowout on Monday. The Reds have won six of their last nine at home and seem to have found some rhythm after a rocky stretch against San Diego and St. Louis. Lodolo starts sharp, working ahead in counts and keeping the Mets' depleted lineup off-balance early. Soto makes contact in the second inning but is stranded as Lodolo escapes. The Reds break through in the second when Nathaniel Lowe works a walk and scores on a McLain single. Cincinnati adds two more in the fourth on a Noelvi Marte RBI groundout and a bases-loaded walk, chasing McLean from the game. McLean had been solid through three innings but loses command in the fourth, forcing the Mets to dip into their patchwork bullpen. Soto remains dangerous all afternoon — he drives in a run in the fifth on a sharp single — but the Mets can never string together enough offense to seriously threaten. Lodolo works into the sixth before handing off to the Cincinnati bullpen, which shuts the door. The Reds tack on an insurance run in the eighth. Cincinnati completes the sweep, improving to 19-18 at home and sending the Mets back to New York having dropped three straight, sitting 7.5 games under .500.

Reds hold home advantage, series momentum, and face a road-poor Mets team (14-23 away) depleted by injuries. Lodolo's ERA tempers confidence, but Cincinnati's bullpen edge and Mets' roster attrition tip the scales moderately toward the home team.

Sandsynlige pitchere

New York Mets — Trup

Spiller	Pos.	AVG	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG
Carson Benge	RF	.250	7	26	.311	.381
Bo Bichette	3B	.254	8	42	.299	.378
MJ Melendez	LF	.198	4	11	.317	.377
Brett Baty	2B	.226	3	26	.303	.318
Mark Vientos	1B	.218	8	31	.249	.379
Francisco Alvarez	DH	.255	5	13	.327	.401
A.J. Ewing	CF	.250	2	11	.333	.362
Luis Torrens	C	.218	1	15	.271	.315
Zack Short	SS	.154	0	2	.286	.205

Cincinnati Reds — Trup

Spiller	Pos.	AVG	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG
Edwin Arroyo	2B	.205	0	2	.273	.231
JJ Bleday	LF	.265	13	35	.367	.572
Sal Stewart	3B	.252	14	47	.349	.456
Dane Myers	CF	.255	3	12	.358	.382
Eugenio Suárez	DH	.212	7	25	.274	.376
Spencer Steer	1B	.245	11	28	.330	.429
Noelvi Marte	RF	.206	3	3	.254	.381
Jose Trevino	C	.167	0	2	.189	.194
Matt McLain	SS	.207	8	25	.314	.363

Scoring plays

▲ 3

Juan Soto singles on a fly ball to center fielder Noelvi Marte. Luis Torrens scores. Bo Bichette to 2nd.

1-0

▲ 3

Marcus Semien singles on a line drive to left fielder JJ Bleday. Bo Bichette scores. Juan Soto to 3rd.

2-0

▲ 3

Mark Vientos singles on a ground ball to left fielder JJ Bleday. Juan Soto scores. Marcus Semien to 2nd.

3-0

▼ 3

JJ Bleday out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder A.J. Ewing. Jose Trevino scores.

3-1

▲ 5

Mark Vientos out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Spencer Steer. Bo Bichette scores.

4-1

▲ 5

Francisco Alvarez singles on a ground ball to left fielder JJ Bleday. Juan Soto scores. Marcus Semien to 2nd.

5-1

▲ 5

A.J. Ewing doubles (5) on a sharp fly ball to center fielder Noelvi Marte. Marcus Semien scores. Francisco Alvarez scores.

7-1

▲ 8

Bo Bichette singles on a ground ball to right fielder Spencer Steer. Carson Benge scores.

8-1

▲ 8

Juan Soto doubles (7) on a line drive to center fielder Noelvi Marte. Bo Bichette scores.

9-1

New York Mets — Batting

Spiller	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OPS
Carson BengeRF	5	1	1	0	0	0	.250	.692
Bo Bichette3B	4	3	3	1	1	0	.254	.677
MJ MelendezLF	0	0	0	0	0	0	.198	.694
Brett Baty2B	0	0	0	0	0	0	.226	.621
Mark Vientos1B	4	0	1	2	0	1	.218	.628
Francisco AlvarezDH	5	1	3	1	0	0	.255	.728
A.J. EwingCF	4	0	1	2	1	1	.250	.695
Luis TorrensC	5	1	1	0	0	0	.218	.586
Zack ShortSS	3	0	0	0	0	2	.154	.491
I alt	39	9	15	9	3	4

BATTING

2B: Ewing (5, Lodolo); Soto, J (7, Paddack).

3B: Benge (2, Paddack).

TB: Alvarez, F 3; Benge 3; Bichette 3; Ewing 2; Semien 2; Soto, J 4; Torrens; Vientos.

RBI: Alvarez, F (13); Bichette (42); Ewing 2 (11); Semien (27); Soto, J 2 (36); Vientos 2 (31).

2-out RBI: Ewing 2; Soto, J; Semien; Alvarez, F; Vientos.

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Torrens 2; Alvarez, F; Vientos.

SAC: Short.

SF: Vientos.

GIDP: Soto, J; Vientos.

Team RISP: 7-for-13.

Team LOB: 8.

FIELDING

E: Vientos (4, missed catch); Short (2, fielding).

Cincinnati Reds — Batting

Spiller	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OPS
Edwin Arroyo2B	4	0	0	0	0	1	.205	.504
JJ BledayLF	2	0	0	1	1	0	.265	.939
Sal Stewart3B	4	0	1	0	0	1	.252	.805
Dane MyersCF	1	0	0	0	0	0	.255	.740
Eugenio SuárezDH	4	0	0	0	0	1	.212	.650
Spencer Steer1B	4	0	0	0	0	2	.245	.759
Noelvi MarteRF	4	0	1	0	0	1	.206	.635
Jose TrevinoC	4	1	1	0	0	0	.167	.383
Matt McLainSS	3	0	1	0	1	2	.207	.677
I alt	33	1	5	1	2	9

BATTING

2B: McLain, M (13, McLean); Lowe, N (10, McLean); Stewart, S (14, Raley, B); Marte, N (2, Warren, A).

TB: Lowe, N 2; Marte, N 2; McLain, M 2; Stewart, S 2; Trevino.

RBI: Bleday (35).

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Suárez, E 4; Arroyo; Stewart, S.

SF: Bleday.

Team RISP: 0-for-6.

Team LOB: 9.

FIELDING

E: McLain, M (2, fielding).

DP: 2 (Arroyo-McLain, M-Lowe, N; Lodolo-Arroyo-Lowe, N).

a-Popped out for Lowe, N in the 8th.

New York Mets — Pitching

Pitcher	IP	H	R	BB	K	PC-ST	ERA
Nolan McLean(W, 4-4)	7.0	3	1	1	9	101-63	3.67
Brooks Raley	1.0	1	0	0	0	14-11	2.00
Austin Warren	1.0	1	0	1	0	17-11	2.63

Cincinnati Reds — Pitching

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	PC-ST	ERA
Nick Lodolo(L, 2-2)	4.2	11	7	7	2	2	0	90-54	6.12
Chris Paddack	4.1	4	2	2	1	2	0	60-39	6.96

Kampinfo

Dommere: Home Plate: Nate Tomlinson; First Base: Jacob Metz; Second Base: Mark Wegner; Third Base: Carlos Torres

Stadion: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati

Vejr: 78°F, Partly Cloudy

Vind: 7 mph, R To L

New York Mets — Nyheder

Mets udpeger Vidal Bruján til oprykning

Bruján afslutter med et gennemsnit på .091 og .214 xwOBA i minimal MLB-indsats, hvilket åbner plads til Zack Short (gjort krav på fra waivers i går med .286 xwOBA i begrænset Triple-A-spil). Ingen af disse træk påvirker NYM:s run-difference på -23 eller poengstilling på 32-40 på nogen meningsfuld måde.

Vidal Bruján

Zack Short

New York Mets

Mets gør krav på Zack Short fra waivers, overfører Polanco til 60-dages IL

Polancos degradering afslutter en 14-spil periode, hvor han slog .179 med en xwOBA på .27, hvilket repræsenterer minimalt offensivt tab for et Mets-hold med 32-39 rekord. Short ankommer som en dybdeindsmann uden resterende muligheder, men tilbyder ingen offensiv potentiale (xwOBA .286 i begrænset 2026-spil).

Zack Short

New York Mets

Mets Placerer Christian Scott på Skadelisten

Scott har ingen registreret statistik for 2026, hvilket tyder på minimal rotationspåvirkning; NYM's nuværende starting pitcher-dybde består af Peralta (ERA 4,04, 5-5) og Peterson (ERA 5,75, 0-4) som støtter et hold på 32-39 der allerede er 6 spil under ,500.

Christian Scott

New York Mets

Freddy Peralta leder Mets midt i spekulationer om handel

Peraltas ERA på 4,04 og 9,12 K/9 over 78 IP repræsenterer Mets' mest pålidelige rotationsdel i en 29-38-sæson præget af organisatorisk ustabilitet. Enhver afgang ville afsløre et hold, hvor Peterson (ERA 5,75, 0-4) er det eneste andet sunde alternativ for flere starts.

Freddy Peralta

New York Mets

Mets Pauserer Jorge Polancos Rehabilitering på Grund af Ankelsmerter

Polancos tilbageslag forsinker hans tilbagevenden fra en håndledsskade, som har holdt ham ude siden midten af april; førstebasemanden har kun slået .179/.270/.286 i 14 kampe denne sæson. NYM sidder på 28-36 med ligaens værste run differential (-9), hvilket gør enhver offensiv forstærkning kritisk for konkurrencehåbet.

Jorge Polanco

New York Mets

Cincinnati Reds — Nyheder

Reds små opkøb stabiliserer offensiv under gennemsnit

Cincinnati (34-37, løbeforskel -46) er på vej mod en 16. sammenhængende sæson med under gennemsnit wRC+, men holdningstykkelsestræk har forhindret helt sammenbrud. Rotationen forbliver en begrænsende faktor med Singer på 5,61 ERA og Paddack på 7,21 ERA i begrænsede starter.

Cincinnati Reds

Reds noter: Greene, Johnson, Pagán, Trevino, Haggerty

Cincinnati er 33-36 med en løbsforskil på -56, sidst i NL Central efter at have gået 3-7 i deres sidste 10 kampe. Rotationens anker Abbott har en ERA på 4.10, mens Singer (ERA 5.61) og Paddack (ERA 7.17, 0-4) ikke har ydet noget dybde.

Cincinnati Reds

D-Backs Aktiverer Jordan Lawlar fra 60-dages Skadeliste

Lawlar vender tilbage med begrænset data fra 2026 (0 K, .333 AVG i lille stikprøve), hvilket gør hans indflydelse usikker over for Cincinnatis svage kasterstiab (4.10-5.61 ERA startere). Arizona får et potentielt opstillingsboost inden en serie mod Reds-holdet, som tillader 340 løb (2,0 mere pr. kamp end ligagennemsnittet).

Jordan Lawlar

Cincinnati Reds

Hunter Greene (RHP, CIN) sigter mod tilbagevending i juli efter albuekirurgi

Greenes forsinket tidsplan efterlader Cincinnati afhængig af Abbott (4.06 ERA), Singer (6.18 ERA) og Paddack (6.90 ERA), mens Reds sidder på 31-31 med en løbsdifferentiale på -48 og kæmper for at forblive konkurrencedygtig i NL Central.

Hunter Greene

Cincinnati Reds

Lyon Richardson Vælger Fri Agentskab Efter Reds DFA

Richardson havde en ERA på 13,50 i minor league-spil denne sæson uden MLB-innings, hvilket gjorde hans afgang til en rutineændring af holdkampe for Cincinnati (31-30, -41 løbsforskel).

Lyon Richardson

Cincinnati Reds