The National League wild-card race has turned into an "I got it, you take it" scenario over the last week or so. With the Diamondbacks faltering in the West, the Cardinals had a real chance to put on a push to separate themselves from the pack behind them. Unfortunately for the previously Cinderella looking Cards, the carriage may be turning back into a pumpkin.
St. Louis has lost four in a row and will face a Dodgers team looking for its fifth consecutive win and a series sweep tonight at New Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Dodgers have also profited from a mini slide from the Colorado Rockies coinciding with their win streak and now lead the NL East by half a game prior to a huge NL West series with Bud Black’s boys Sportsbook tomorrow.
- Yasiel Puig has six home runs and 11 RBIs for a September OPS of 1.595
- The Dodgers have a .831 team OPS in September.
- St. Louis is batting .224 in September (25th in MLB).
Dodgers vs Cardinals Game Center
Pitching Matchup
Adam Wainwright will make his second start since coming off the disabled list after being out since May. It wasn’t great in his first outing – he surrendered seven hits, two home runs, and four earned runs in five innings vs Pittsburgh on Monday. The 37-year-old Wainwright is fighting Father Time and a worn-down body as he looks to return to form and help St. Louis in the stretch run.
Third-year hurler Ross Stripling has been great for LA as he too will make his second start since coming off the disabled list, albeit for a much shorter stint. Stripling has a 2.61 ERA and 1.13 WHIP on the season and has been announced as a replacement for Alex Wood in the Dodgers’ rotation. Wood heads to the bullpen after being a Cy Young candidate in 2017.
Stripling only went 3.1 innings in Cincinnati on Tuesday when he gave up four hits and struck out four on 65 pitches. He is coming off a back injury and will look to go a bit longer on ESPN Sunday night.
Hot Hitting Dodgers vs Wainwright
Adam Wainwright could be in for a rude awakening on Sunday night with the Dodgers lineup entering Sunday’s game with a .831 OPS in September. Justin Turner has been on fire lately, notching 17 hits in 14 games in September for a 1.071 OPS. Yasiel Puig has knocked six home runs and 11 RBIs to lead the team this month and has a ridiculous 1.595 OPS.
Cody Bellinger, Matt Kemp, Manny Machado and Chris Taylor have all come around with the offensive performances as well. The Dodgers are a team to keep an eye on when the playoffs come around. The only question is will their pitching staff be able to keep up?
St. Louis’ Bats Gone Cold
The Cardinals went on an unbelievable run in August but it hasn’t translated to September as the lineup has cooled down considerably. Matt Carpenter, who had worked his way into MVP contention, is hitting just .208 in September and has zero home runs and four RBIs in 48 at-bats.
Jose Martinez hit .389 in August with 18 RBIs. Through the first half of September, he is hitting .188 with no home runs and just three RBIs. As a team, the Cards’ batting average has dropped 50 points month over month and their .663 September OPS won’t cut it.
My Pick for This Game
All signs point to the Dodgers sweeping this series. There is certainly a danger of them looking forward to Monday’s series opener vs Colorado at home, but this game carries enough importance that it shouldn’t be an issue. Two units on the Dodgers at -145 is a bet that I’m comfortable making.
