Despite a 4-3 loss Sunday to the Texas Rangers, the Cincinnati Reds feel pretty good about their current situation as they open a three-game series Monday night in San Diego.

After all, Cincinnati has a winning record (15-13) at the one-month mark of the season. That includes a season series win over the tough Philadelphia Phillies.

And with up to a dozen players having fought a recent flu bug and a couple of others close to returning from the injured list, the Reds have reason to believe that they haven't come close to their ceiling.

"Wins-and-losses-wise, we've probably left a couple out there," catcher Luke Maile said. "But we've obviously played pretty solid baseball the majority of the time. We've got some really good pitching performances. I think our starters have been better this year than most of last. There's a lot to like."

Particularly when left-hander Nick Lodolo (2-0, 2.12 ERA) takes the mound. He's coming off a no-decision in Wednesday night's 7-4 win over Philadelphia that saw him last five innings, allowing six hits and three runs with three walks and four strikeouts.

Lodolo won his first two starts, striking out 16 batters over 12 innings in defeating the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox. The improvement of young starters like him and Hunter Greene has helped make up for an offense hitting .219 and getting on base at just a .305 clip.

Lodolo is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his lone career start versus the Padres.

Meanwhile, San Diego limps into this series with a four-game losing streak after an 8-6 loss Sunday to Philadelphia that sealed a series sweep. The Padres led for a half-inning in the series and were outscored 22-10 as every starter coughed up at least five runs.

That places right-handed knuckleballer Matt Waldron (1-2, 3.96) in the unexpected role of stopper in the series opener. Waldron, who has yet to face Cincinnati in his career, coming off a 5-2 win Wednesday night in Colorado, permitting just one run on four hits in six innings with three walks and five strikeouts.

"Getting ahead was the name of my game today," Waldron said after the win. "(Catcher Kyle Higashioka) and I executed well and the offense did what they do. It was a fun win."

Not much has been fun during this losing streak.

The Padres boast a top five offense in terms of runs (149) but were stifled in the first two games of the Philadelphia series by Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez.

"We've got to compete against it and figure out a way," San Diego manager Mike Shildt said."That's what winners do."

After Sunday's loss, Shildt was frustrated by the number of home runs given up by his pitching staff, which surrendered nine in the three games against the Phillies, with two of the three on Sunday following walks.

"They are hurting us," Shildt said about the home runs. "You had some free passes, which are going to happen. Some guys earn their walks, and that's part of the game. You have to tip your hat when they do that, but then (it) feels like the homer right after and getting some balls in the middle of the plate and just giving up damage. ...

"It's a matter of making more consistent quality pitches and making sure that we're not ... giving anything free and limiting the damage. But right now we're in that stretch where we're making mistakes and they're making us pay for it."