San Diego @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 3, 2018 ) Cincinnati 3, San Diego 6

Top prospect Francisco Mejia is expected to make his first start for San Diego on Thursday when the Padres open a four-game series against the host Cincinnati Reds. Mejia, who is rated as the No. 1 catching prospect by MLB pipeline, was acquired from the Cleveland Indians in July for two-time All-Star left-hander Brad Hand and right-hander Adam Cimber.

Mejia struck out as a pinch hitter in Tuesday's 6-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in his first at-bat with San Diego, and is expected to get a long look down the stretch. "He's hit everywhere he's been his entire life," Padres manager Andy Green told reporters. "He's got unique bat-to-ball skills and an ability to put all sorts of pitches in play." The Reds lost 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday as they suffered a three-game sweep, and have dropped 11 of their past 14 contests. Scooter Gennett, who leads the National League with a .320 batting average, went 1-for-5 on Wednesday after stringing together five straight multi-hit outings and seven in his past eight contests.

TV: 6:40 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Lauer (5-7, 5.01 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (8-11, 4.83)

Lauer missed a month with a forearm strain before returning to face the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 30 when he gave up one unearned run and no hits over five innings. The 23-year-old has struggled on the road with a 2-3 record, 5.48 ERA, 1.83 WHIP and .317 batting average against. Lauer defeated the Reds on June 2 when he gave up one run and five hits over five innings.

Castillo allowed two hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out a career-high 11 while beating St. Louis in his last start. The 25-year-old has given up two or fewer earned runs in six of his past eight starts and gave up five in each of the other two. Castillo is 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts against the Padres with the loss occurring on June 3 when he gave up four runs and six hits over 4 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Reds are 1-2 against the Padres this season and haven't won the season series since 2012, when they took six of eight meetings.

2. San Diego OF Hunter Renfroe was hitless in four at-bats on Tuesday after going 16-for-46 with five homers and 11 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak.

3. Cincinnati 3B Eugenio Suarez, who is tied for the NL lead with 100 RBIs, was 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts in the series against the Pirates.

PREDICTION: Reds 6, Padres 4