Mother Nature was no friend to the Cincinnati Reds during their series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Friday's game was postponed, which turned into a doubleheader on Saturday, and Sunday's finale in their series with the Cardinals will now be played on August 17th. The weekend series with the hated Cardinals ends with both teams earning a victory. Now the Reds will shift all their focus to a road series against the New York Mets. It hasn't been the ideal start to the season for the 22-31 Mets. This series has the potential for the Reds to make some major ground up on what has been the toughest division in baseball, the National League Central. Let's take a closer look at the series with the Mets. Top Arms UpMay 13, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo (40) throws against the Washington Nationals in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn ImagesBrady Singer was set to start for the Reds on Sunday. However, the weather pushed everything back, but the team isn't mixing up the rotation moving forward. The Reds announced on Sunday that the plan is still for the team to start Nick Lodolo on Monday. Chase Burns on Tuesday, and finish the series with Andrew Abbott on Wednesday. Singer's next start is set for Friday against the Atlanta Braves. As it currently stands, the Mets will have right-hander Nolan McLean on the mound in Monday's opening game of the series. McLean is 2-3 on the year and has posted a 3.57 ERA with 90 strikeouts. It's been said already this season, but the Reds can't afford to lose a series when they have Lodolo, Burns, and Abbott going back-to-back. Losing this series with the Braves on deck would be an ugly finish to a dreadful month. What To ExpectMay 24, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) bats against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn ImagesThere's a reason the Mets are 22-31 on the year; the offense has been atrocious. After their loss 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday, six players made plate appearances with a batting average below .220. The addition of Bo Bichette has not been what Mets fans had hoped for. Bichette is currently batting .216 on the season. However, A.J. Ewing has been the lone star of the offense. Ewing will enter the series against the Reds with a .275 average. The more that is seen in the numbers of this series, the more comfortable Reds fans should feel about the matchup. I think that's what's making me feel really unwell about it. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo (40) throws a pitch in the second inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesFirst pitch for Monday's game is set for 4:10 pm ET. It may sound drastic given that it's still May, but the Reds need to take this series. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow