The St. Louis Cardinals suffered a frustrating 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night, wasting an excellent outing from left-hander Matthew Liberatore. Trailing 5-2 in the ninth inning, Jordan Walker cut into the deficit with a two-run homer, but the late rally ultimately fell short.
With the series tied at two games apiece, Thursday’s matchup serves as the rubber match — and the final meeting between St. Louis and Cincinnati during the 2026 regular season.
The Cardinals released their starting lineup Thursday morning, and one notable change stood out from Wednesday’s game: star shortstop Masyn Winn is getting the day off.
JJ Wetherholt will take over at shortstop, while Bryan Torres gets the start at second base.
Masyn Winn has posted a .239/.315/.327 slash line with five home runs, 51 RBI, 10 stolen bases, a 2.5 WAR, and a .642 OPS this season. He also owns an 84 OPS+.
The 24-year-old earned a National League Gold Glove last season and continues to rank among the top defensive shortstops in Major League Baseball, thanks in part to his outstanding arm strength.
Thursday, however, will be a scheduled break for Winn. With Cincinnati sitting behind St. Louis in the wild-card race, the Cardinals have the flexibility to rest their starting shortstop before a crucial weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies, a team they are trying to catch in the standings.
Keeping Winn fresh for that matchup is clearly a priority. St. Louis still has plenty of offensive talent available for the series finale, including Wetherholt, Walker, Alec Burleson, Joshua Baez, and Ivan Herrera, so the lineup is hardly lacking firepower.
Winn delivered three hits, including a home run, in Tuesday’s 3-0 Cardinals victory. Since making his major league debut on August 18, 2023, he has been the club’s primary shortstop. Giving him a chance to recharge before an important series against Philadelphia appears to be a smart decision by manager Oli Marmol as St. Louis enters a demanding stretch of the schedule.
Following the Phillies series, the Cardinals still have September matchups remaining against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers.
Pitching Probables for St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds Finale
While Winn gets a day to rest, the Cardinals will turn to right-hander Michael McGreevy as they look to avoid dropping the series. Cincinnati will counter with right-hander Brady Singer.
McGreevy has been one of St. Louis’ more reliable starters this season, making him a logical choice for a game with plenty on the line.
The Cardinals may miss Winn’s defensive presence at shortstop, but McGreevy still gives them a strong opportunity to capitalize on the rest of their defense and secure a series win over the Reds. A victory would also allow St. Louis to carry some positive momentum into its pivotal weekend showdown with Philadelphia.