Eugenio Suarez had to wait another day before making his return to the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup after the scheduled series opener against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals was postponed due to rain on Friday.

Suarez, the Reds’ designated hitter, was activated from the 10-day injured list, and his enthusiasm will be a welcome addition in a three-game set that begins Saturday with a day-night doubleheader.

The 34-year-old slugger has been sidelined since late April with a mild left oblique strain. He has a .231 batting average, a .663 OPS, three home runs and 11 RBIs through 25 games in the first season of his second stint with the Reds.

“Even his energy, that positive energy (returning) helps,” Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said. “Hopefully we’re getting him back healthy. We’re going to have to pick our spots a little early. We don’t want to run him into the ground.”

While the Reds are looking forward to the addition of Suarez, they are braced for the loss of third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who was sent to the 10-day IL because of a bulging disk. Hayes has struggled this season, as he owns a .142 average, a .420 OPS, two home runs and five RBIs in 44 games.

“The spasming has gotten to the point where it’s kind of gotten in the way,” Francona said, “so hopefully get that settled down and get him going again.”

Also headed to the 10-day IL was Cardinals outfielder Nathan Church (left shoulder strain). He was scratched from the lineup on Thursday before St. Louis lost 6-2 to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, and manager Oliver Marmol said he was “just a little beat up.”

Bryan Torres was promoted from Triple-A Memphis, where he had a .336 batting average, a .931 OPS, two home runs, 16 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 36 games. The 28-year-old outfielder/second baseman has no major league experience.

In the first game on Saturday, Cincinnati is scheduled to start Chris Paddack (0-5, 7.07 ERA). The 30-year-old right-hander made a successful Reds debut on Saturday, allowing two runs over five innings in no-decision against the Cleveland Guardians.

Cincinnati signed Paddack after he was released by the Miami Marlins earlier this month. He threw 56 of his 78 pitches against Cleveland for strikes.

Paddack is 1-1 with a 3.44 ERA in four career starts against St. Louis. He gave up five runs over 4 2/3 innings in a 5-3 loss to the Cardinals while pitching for Miami on April 21.

St. Louis is expected to counter with Andre Pallante (4-4, 4.04 ERA), who was a tough-luck loser last time out in a 2-0 home setback to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Pallante scattered eight hits, yielded two runs (one earned) and fanned seven. He has made 19 career appearances against the Reds, including nine starts, going 6-4 with a 2.49 ERA.

“He’s been missing more bats as of late,” Marmol said about Pallante. “But a lot of that has to do with him getting ahead of guys, getting to two-strike counts and putting guys away.”

Kyle Leahy (5-3, 3.94 ERA) gets the call in the nightcap for the Cardinals. He was credited with the win in his latest start on May 16, a 4-2 home win over the Royals. Leahy surrendered one run on five hits and three walks while striking out two in a career-high six innings.

In 2025, Leahy made just one start in his 62 appearances. St. Louis moved him to the rotation this year, and Marmol believes patience has been the key when judging what the converted reliever has accomplished.

“We have to be mindful of what this really looks like and not be too reactive,” Marmol said. “If we are committed to him being a starter, it’s not something we are evaluating and living and dying with off every inning of every outing.”

Leahy has faced Cincinnati eight times, all as a reliever, recording one save and a 6.30 ERA.

The Reds are turning to one of their top prospects, Chase Petty (0-0, 4.76 ERA), for the nightcap. The 23-year-old right-hander’s only major league appearance this year came on May 4 against the host Chicago Cubs. He didn’t factor into the decision after yielding three runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.

Petty is coming up from the minors to serve as the 27th man on the major league club’s roster. In eight starts this season for Triple-A Louisville, he is 2-4 with a 6.32 ERA.

–Field Level Media