The big takeaway for the Cincinnati Reds was Chris Paddack, who was designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins just weeks ago, once again provided his new club with a reasonable chance to win.
Paddack tossed five innings of three-run baseball against the St. Louis Cardinals (29-21) at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, May 23. It was the first game of a split doubleheader follow Friday, May 22’s rain-soaked postponement, and Paddack exited the game with Cincinnati trailing at just 3-1.
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After that point in the contest, you could pick any number of reasons for the Reds’ eventual 8-1 loss. Paddack wasn’t really to blame.
Chris Paddack allowed three runs in five innings of the Reds’ 8-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of the day-night doubleheader Saturday, May 23.
The Reds (26-25) bullpen capitulated, particularly from the seventh inning on. Sam Moll pitched a tidy sixth inning but Connor Phillips (one inning) and Jose Franco (two innings) combined to allow five runs, five walks and four hits.
Phillips and Franco were both optioned to Triple-A Louisville after the game. The Reds called up new reliever Caleb Ferguson, who was injured before ever pitching for the team, and Chase Petty, who was scheduled to start the second game.
Connor Phillips reacts as Jordan Walker of the Cardinals rounds the bases on his two-run home run in the seventh inning at Great American Ball Park May 23.
But even if the deficit had been more manageable, the Reds bats went silent after a second inning in which Nathanial Lowe’s leadoff home run put Cincinnati up, 1-0. Blake Dunn‘s single later in the second would be the Reds’ final hit of the contest.
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The loss dropped the Reds to 1-10 against the NL Central this season.
St. Louis‘ Jordan Walker (1-for-5) drove in three runs for the Cardinals. Iván Herrera (2-for-3 with two walks, one RBI) scored twice.
Short of shutting out the Cardinals, Cincinnati didn’t have the firepower to win on the day. So, what ended up sticking out among few positives was Paddack.
“You know, actually, I think what he’s showing is − there’s something to like there,” Reds manager Terry Francona said.
The Reds signed Paddack on May 13, and the club was in great need of starting-caliber arms. He was 0-5 with the Marlins with a 7.63 ERA, and while he’s still winless after two Reds outings, his ERA with Cincinnati is at 4.50 with just five earned runs allowed over two starts.
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He had a no-decision in his May 16 start for Cincinnati against the Cleveland Guardians. May 23 saw his overall record fall to 0-6 in 2026, but he’s given his club opportunities to win during a month in which the team has gone 6-14.
Paddack said he was pleased with the game plan he’d devised with catcher Tyler Stephenson, noting that it was also their first time working together in-game (Jose Trevino caught Paddack’s Cincinnati debut on May 16).
Paddack blanked the Cardinals in the first two innings and limited the damage to two runs in the fourth inning when St. Louis loaded the bases.
After Paddack’s first trip through the Cardinals’ batting order, he started to fall behind in counts. The resulted in three walks by the time his day was over.
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
We dug through the Enquirer archives and found some of our favorite photos of Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award recipient and 12-time All-Star pitched a no-hitter for the Reds on June 16, 1978. He’s one of only 17 Reds pitchers to accomplish the feat.
Take a look at Seaver through the years.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
We dug through the Enquirer archives and found some of our favorite photos of Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award recipient and 12-time All-Star pitched a no-hitter for the Reds on June 16, 1978. He’s one of only 17 Reds pitchers to accomplish the feat.
Take a look at Seaver through the years.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Tom Seaver pitched for the Cincinnati Reds from 1977-82.
He led the league in wins (14) during his 1981 All-Star season in Cincinnati.
(Malcolm Emmons, Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
July 1975: New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver in action.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
July 1976: New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver (41) in action against the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
August 1978: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Seaver in action on the mound at Riverfront Stadium.
(Tony Tomsic/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
August 1978: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Seaver in action on the mound at Riverfront Stadium.
(Tony Tomsic/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
May 1980: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Seaver (41) delivers a pitch at Riverfront Stadium.
(Malcolm Emmons/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
May 1980: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Seaver (41) delivers a pitch at Riverfront Stadium.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
May 1980: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Seaver in action at Riverfront Stadium.
(Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver in a portrait from spring training.
(Malcolm Emmons/ USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
May 18, 1983: Tom Seaver in the dugout as the Mets host the San Diego Padres at Shea Stadium.
(Amy Davis/NorthJersey.com)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
March 5, 1999: Tom Seaver (center) talks with Rickey Henderson (left) and Mike Piazza during spring training in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
(David F. Adornato/NorthJersey.com)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Oct. 15, 1999: Mets great Tom Seaver walks with Mets catcher Mike Piazza after throwing out the first pitch as Atlanta Braves were at the New York Mets for the National League Championship Series Game No. 3.
(James W. Anness / NorthJersey.com)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Oct. 7, 2000: Tom Seaver waives to the crowd before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch of Game 3 of NL Division Series against the San Francisco Giants.
(Thomas E. Franklin / NorthJersey.com)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Oct. 25, 2000: Tom Seaver and other members of the 1969 Mets thow out the first pitch of Game Four of the 2000 World Series against the New York Yankees.
(Thomas E. Franklin/NorthJersey.com)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Sept. 28, 2008: Former New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver waves to fans during closing ceremonies after the final regular season MLB National League baseball game to be played at Shea Stadium in New York.
(Shannon Stapleton/REUTERS)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Sept. 28, 2008: Tom Seaver bows after the final game at Shea Stadium.
(Tyson Trish/NorthJersey.com-USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Sept. 28, 2008: Former Mets Mike Piazza and Tom Seaver come together after Seaver threw out the final pitch after the final game at Shea Stadium.
(Tyson Trish/NorthJersey.com-USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Aug. 22, 2009: Tom Seaver and the 1969 New York Mets World Championship trophy by second base at Citi Field during a 40th celebration of the team.
(Kevin R.Wexler/NorthJersey.com)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Aug. 22, 2009: Tom Seaver and other members of the 1969 New York Mets recalled their season during a press conference at Citi Field.
(Kevin R.Wexler, NorthJersey.com-USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
July 16, 2013: New York Mets former player Tom Seaver salutes the crowd before the 2013 All Star Game at Citi Field.
(Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
Oct 18, 2013: New York Mets former pitcher Tom Seaver at his family vineyard in Calistoga.
(Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports)
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Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame pitcher who threw no hitter
April 15, 2022: A Tom Seaver statue is unveiled prior to a game at Citi Field.
(Gregory Fisher/USA TODAY Sports)
“I can live with the singles. I can’t live with the three walks,” Paddack said. “I’m a guy that, those are things we can control a little bit. Better than I’ve been doing as a starting pitcher is filling up the zone. Whenever I try to be too fine, the game speeds up. I’m getting out of the zone. You’re having to work harder (and) bad things tend to happen.
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“That’s pretty much the only frustrating part of the whole outing, falling behind and counts that led to walks on guys you don’t want on the bases… We’re so close to putting it all together, and I really do believe that.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds get second solid outing from new starting pitcher Chris Paddack