Their playoff hopes dwindling, the Cardinals begin a tough stretch vs. top teams Friday with the first of three against the division-leading Dodgers at Busch Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.
Beginning Friday, all of the team's next seven series are against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. Four of those seven series are against division-leading squads.
Ƶ has lost four straight and has seen its Fangraphs playoff odds plummet. The site gives the Redbirds a 5.5% chance to make the field as of Friday.
On Friday, right-hander Miles Mikolas (8-9, 5.30) will take the mound for the Cardinals. Mikolas has lasted four innings in both of his last two starts and allowed four or more runs in each.
He previously faced the Dodgers on opening day in LA, giving up five runs in 4 1/3.
People are also reading…
The Dodgers will counter with left-hander Justin Wrobleski (0-1, 4.05), called up from Triple-A for a spot start.
He's made four previous starts this season, all last month.
He has thrown his fastball nearly 60% of the time this season in big-league appearances, which is among the highest figures in baseball.
Opponents are hitting .184 against that pitch, and he throws it at an average speed of 95.4 miles per hour.
Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, the third-best player in baseball last season by Fangraphs wins above replacement value, recently returned from a broken left hand that kept him out nearly two months.
Since returning, Betts has two hits in three of the four games he's played and has recorded an .810 OPS.
Former Cardinal Tommy Edman is not expected to play in this series as he works toward his season debut. Manager Dave Roberts indicated on an that Edman would be ready to play Monday.
The Cardinals are 60-61, tied for second in the NL Central and 10-15 since the All-Star break.
They don't play a team with a losing record again until Sept. 10-12, when they host the Reds, the team that just swept the Cardinals earlier this week.
The Dodgers are 71-51, first in the NL West but just two games ahead of both San Diego and Arizona. They're 8-4 in their last 12 and split four in Milwaukee before heading to Ƶ.
Since July 1, the Dodgers' 4.87 bullpen ERA ranks third-worst in the National League.
LA is 5-10 overall in its last four trips to Busch Stadium, dropping three of four last year.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Masyn Winn, SS
2. Willson Contreras, DH
3. Tommy Pham, LF
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
6. Brendan Donovan, 2B
7. Jordan Walker, RF
8. Pedro Pagés, C
9. Victor Scott II, CF
P: Miles Mikolas, RHP
DODGERS
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mookie Betts, RF
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Teoscar Hernández, LF
5. Gavin Lux, 2B
6. Will Smith, C
7. Miguel Rojas, SS
8. Kevin Kiermaier, CF
9. Enrique Hernández, 3B
P: Justin Wrobleski, LHP
Injury report
Matt Carpenter (back soreness): Carpenter, diagnosed with a sore lower back, was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday. He was going to be out entirely for the series in Cincinnati, and the Cardinals are hopeful he'll require only the minimum days on the IL. Updated Aug. 12
Lance Lynn (knee strain): Veteran right-hander will throw another bullpen this week and aim for between 20 and 25 pitches. He recovered well from his bullpen Monday at Great American Ball Park. He did not throw it at full speed and is likely to repeat the bullpen at that limited intensity before striding into a full-speed bullpen back at Busch Stadium. He's eligible to come off the IL on Friday and the Cardinals do not yet know if they're going to ask him to go on a rehab assignment. Updated Aug. 13
Steven Matz (lower back stiffness): Lefty will start Friday for Class AAA Memphis and aim for five innings and more than 70 pitches as he nears a decision for the Cardinals on what role he'll have, what role they'll need from him upon his return. Matz has advanced steadily and felt strong following each of his minor-league outings. Updated Aug. 12
Michael Siani (oblique strain): Siani has started running and throwing and doing limited, reduced-torque movements back in Ƶ. He has not started swinging a bat. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection and had to take at least three days to recover with minimal activity. He has started to resume some workouts and movements back at Busch Stadium to begin recovering from the tear of an oblique muscle. Updated Aug. 13