The Cardinals wrap up the season's second-to-last homestand Thursday with a matinee against the Reds. First pitch is set for 12:15 p.m.
Right-hander Sonny Gray (12-9, 3.84) will take the mound for the Cardinals.
In his last start, Gray went seven innings, allowing one run at Milwaukee in one of his better starts of the season.
If his season ended today, this would be the third-worst season of Gray's 12-year career by ERA+, which measures a player's ERA compared to the league average, adjusted to the ballpark.
Gray has been 10% better than the average pitcher this season after being well above average most of his career.
The Reds will counter with right-hander Jakob Junis (4-0, 2.82).
Junis started the year with Milwaukee but appeared in just 10 games, mostly in relief, as he dealt with a shoulder issue. The Brewers sent Junis to Cincinnati at the trade deadline.
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He leads with the slider, throwing it 47% of the time and limiting opponents to a .169 batting average against it.
In his three starts this year, he has a 0.69 ERA.
The Cardinals are 73-71, third in the NL Central, 10 games out of first and 6 1/2 games out of the final wild-card spot. Of its last six series, St. ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùµ¼º½ÍøÖ· has lost just one and tied another.
The Reds are 71-76, fourth in the NL Central and 13 games out of first.
With only Thursday's game remaining in the season series, the Reds have won seven of the teams' 12 meetings thus far. It's only the second time in the past 13 years that the Reds have won the season series.
St. ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùµ¼º½ÍøÖ· has scored two or fewer runs in each of the last six meetings with the Reds.
The Cardinals next travel to Toronto for three games this weekend, then return home for the final homestand starting Monday vs. Pittsburgh.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Masyn Winn, SS
2. Alec Burleson, DH
3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Lars Nootbaar, LF
6. Iván Herrera, C
7. Thomas Saggese, 2B
8. Jordan Walker, RF
9. Michael Siani, CF
P: Sonny Gray, RHP
REDS
1. Jonathan India, 2B
2. Elly De La Cruz, SS
3. Tyler Stephenson, C
4. TJ Friedl, CF
5. Spencer Steer, DH
6. Ty France, 1B
7. Jake Fraley, RF
8. Santiago Espinal, 3B
9. Will Benson, LF
P: Jakob Junis, RHP
Injury report
Willson Contreras (fractured finger):Ìý°Õ³ó±ðÌýcatcher fractured the middle finger on his right hand when struck by a pitch Aug. 24. He will have three weeks of no impact then he can begin a progression. There's not much wiggle room for a possible return. The injury could end his season. Updated Aug. 27