Christine: Sixty-eight and seventy. That is the record sitting in St. Louis right now as we head into September, but let’s be honest—the story isn’t just about the wins and losses. It’s about who is actually on the field to play them.
Jason: It’s a roster decimated by injury. We’re talking about Masyn Winn, JJ Wetherholt, Andre Pallante—all missing time. And now, they have to fly out to Los Angeles to face the league-leading Dodgers.
Christine: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, home of daily Cardinals coverage. I’m Christine, and this is your preview for the upcoming series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jason is here with me.
Jason: Hey everyone. It’s good to be back. We’ve got a tough assignment ahead, but that’s baseball. You dig in, you adapt, and you hope the bullpen holds up.
Christine: So here is what we are covering today. First, we look at the pitching matchup and what the Dodgers’ current form means for St. Louis. Second, we break down the offensive lineup—who is stepping up when the stars are sidelined? And third, we give you our keys to the series and a bold prediction for how this goes.
Jason: Sounds like a plan. Let’s dive into Segment One.
Christine: Alright, let’s start with the opponent. The Los Angeles Dodgers are sitting at 82-55, first place in the NL West. They are on a three-game home win streak coming into this series. How do you view this matchup from a pitching perspective?
Jason: It’s a daunting task. When a team is on a three-game win streak at home, their offense is clicking. For St. Louis, the challenge is getting quality starts from a rotation that has been hit hard by injuries. Andre Pallante is on the 15-day IL, and Peter Strzelecki is also out on the 15-day IL.
Christine: Right. So the Cards are leaning heavily on the guys who are available. We saw Quinn Mathews get his first MLB win recently against Pittsburgh, allowing one run over five and two-thirds innings. Does he have the stuff to go seven against LA?
Jason: I think he has the potential, but going seven innings against a lineup this deep is a big ask. If he can get through the first three or four orders of batters efficiently, that gives the bullpen a chance. But if he struggles with command early, it puts a massive strain on Ryan Fernandez, Kyle Leahy, or Michael McGreevy to pick up the slack.
Christine: And that’s the scary part for Cardinal fans. The bullpen is being tested earlier and more often than they’d like. With Matthew Liberatore and others navigating health, every pitch counts.
Jason: Exactly. You can’t burn guys out in April, and you certainly don’t want to be burning bridges in September unless you have to. The Dodgers will punish any mistake in the zone.
Christine: But here is the thing—St. Louis showed resilience last week. They beat Pittsburgh in a tight game where Quinn Mathews secured that first win. Can that same energy translate to Dodger Stadium?
Jason: Energy helps, but execution matters more. Against Pittsburgh, they had some help offensively. Jimmy Crooks hit a two-run homer. Against LA, they need timely hitting to support the starter. If the starter leaves with a lead, great. If not, the bullpen needs to keep it close.
Christine: Let’s move to Segment Two. We need to talk about the lineup. Without Masyn Winn and JJ Wetherholt in the mix, who is handling the everyday duties?
Jason: It’s a shuffle. You have Alec Burleson at first base, Nolan Gorman at third, and Cesar Prieto also seeing time at third. Josh Baez is in left field. It’s a younger, more experimental group than we saw earlier in the year.
Christine: And Jordan Walker is still in right field. Last episode, we predicted he would drive in the winning run against Pittsburgh. He didn’t quite do that in the loss, but he’s been a consistent presence. How important is he against the Dodgers?
Jason: He is critical. Walker provides the speed and the defensive versatility that this team needs. Offensively, he needs to make contact. The Dodgers will attack him with high-velocity stuff. If he can lay off the sliders away, he can work counts.
Christine: What about Pedro Pages behind the plate? Catching is huge against a team like LA. Do they have the battery needed to manage this game?
Jason: Pedro Pages brings physicality and framing skills. Even if his bat isn’t generating huge power numbers right now, his ability to handle a pitching staff is valuable. Especially if the starters are struggling, having a catcher who can call a game effectively is a force multiplier.
Christine: Let’s touch on the injuries again because it feels like a full-page ad in the box score. Everson Pereira is on the 10-day IL. Ryan O’Hearn is out too. Konnor Griffin is on the 60-day IL. This is a lot of bodies missing.
Jason: It is significant. When you lose depth, you lose options. Normally, you might pinch-hit for a weak link or rest a guy after a long road trip. Now, those options are gone. Every player who suits up has to be ready to play multiple positions or stay in the lineup longer than comfortable.
Christine: Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese are getting looks in the outfield mix. Are they capable of producing enough offense to keep pace with the Dodgers’ lineup?
Jason: They are serviceable. Fermin has shown flashes of patience at the plate. Saggese is young and learning. The key is avoiding strikeouts. Against LA’s bullpen, which is typically elite, you cannot afford to put up empty outs. Plate discipline will be the differentiator.
Christine: So, patience. Making them throw pitches. Let’s see if that translates to runs on the board. Moving into Segment Three, what are the keys to this series for St. Louis?
Jason: Number one: Pitch to contact. If the starters try to overpower hitters, they will get caught. They need to induce ground balls and weak contact. Number two: Bullpen management. Don’t use your best relievers in garbage time. Save Ryne Stanek and Cade Winquest for high-leverage situations.
Christine: I agree on the bullpen usage. You can’t blow your top arms in the eighth inning of a blown lead. What about the offense? What do they need to do?
Jason: Run the count. Force the Dodgers’ starters to work deep. If Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman can extend at-bats, they wear down the pitcher. And someone needs to hit a home run. We talked about predictions earlier—Alec Burleson driving in the winning run was a thought last time. Maybe he gets another shot here.
Christine: Okay, so here is my bold prediction. I think the Cardinals take one game out of this series. Not sweep the Dodgers, obviously. But they find a way to steal a win, probably thanks to solid pitching and a late-inning rally.
Jason: I’ll go with that. One win is realistic if the rotation holds up. I predict Quinn Mathews throws a strong outing in one of the games, and the Cardinals win by a single run. Maybe 4-3 or 5-4.
Christine: Quinn Mathews shines, Cardinals steal a game. I like that narrative. It fits the resilience theme we’ve been discussing all season.
Jason: Resilience is the word of the day. The Cardinals are facing a gauntlet, but they have the talent to compete if they execute.
Christine: That wraps it up for today. We covered the pitching matchup, the injury impact on the lineup, and our prediction for a split series. Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you listen.
Jason: Thanks for listening. Let’s go Cardinals.
Christine: Upbeat music fades out. See you next time.