Game of the Week: September 10: LAD @ STL

[Commissioner Erick]

Los Angeles Dodgers (83-54) @ St. Louis Cardinals (80-56)


LAD: Grayson Rodriguez (7-4, 4.39)
STL: Chris Yera (4-3, 4.05)


Dodgers 3 Key Stats

.356: Luis Urias’ batting average: Urias has been strong in his Dodgers career, but hasn’t quite put up the prodigious averages he produced early in his career with the Padres. This year, he’s exceeded even his early-career numbers. His career high was a league-leading .335 in 2019, so his .356 season blows it out of the water. His power is down as a trade off—his three homers are a career low, but with 36 doubles and five triples, Urias’ .879 OPS is only nine points off his 2019 career high. Urias is out for three weeks, so the Dodgers will have a lot of work to do to replace his production.

33: Dodgers road wins: The Dodgers have a league-leading 50 home wins this year, and are a respectable 33-35 on the road. Their road performance may determine whether they make the playoff this year. Aside from a road trip to Cincinnati, the Dodgers have a rough road schedule against the Cardinals and Diamondbacks, plus a trip to Coors Field where they’ve struggled this year. If they can do well on those road trips, they’ll earn another trip to the postseason.

130: Luis Robert’ games: Robert struggled mightily with injuries early in his career. He didn’t play more than 100 games until his fifth season, with Minnesota, when he played 138. It took until season eight with Baltimore to play more than 140, with 144 games in 2025. He moved to the Dodgers the following season and has been much healthier with a career-high 154 in 2026, 140 in 2027, 135 last year, and the 130 this year. Robert’s been able to provide the Dodgers with a potent bat, and a bat that’s been in the lineup most of the season.


Cardinals 3 Key Stats

115.2: Chris Yera’s Innings Total: Trixie was the league’s number one prospect this year hand has good peripherals, with 110 strikeouts and only 21 walks. However, he hasn’t pitched too many innings, limiting his ability to dominate. St. Louis has used an opener-follower system that’s worked for the team—they’re third in runs allowed—but has left Yera upset with his role on the team. Trixie will get the ball today, but may not go too deep in the game.

.694: Daniel Brito’s OPS last year: Brito was a strong Cardinals hitter early in his career, but struggled in Detroit last season with a .266 average and .306 average in 355 plate appearances. After posting a negative WAR, he declined a contract option, a mistake, as he could only ink a minor league deal in the offseason. Brito had a .378 slugging percentage in the Pacific Coast League so it’s uncertain how much juice he has left in the tank. He’ll get the start today looking to help push the Cardinals to the playoffs.

.228: Patrick Leonard’s average with runners in scoring position: Leonard has 37 homers this year, but seven have come with a single man on first and 24 have come with the bases empty. Only six have been hit with men in scoring position. Leonard has a solid .270 average when a man is on first, and is strong setting the table with a .282 average with nobody on. However, the Cardinals need more offense and Leonard’s struggles with men on second and or third have really dampened the team’s ability to score runs. St. Louis needs him to play better with men in scoring position to make the playoffs.


Questions for the GMs:


For Ben Vincent, Luis Urias and Eric Drouet will miss today’s game. Who will take their place on the roster and lineup?

Luis Robert is a little banged up. Any consideration to putting him at DH to minimize pressure on his sore hip?

Alexis Pantoja played 17 games for Milwaukee in 2024 and hasn’t played in the PBA since. What convinced you to bring him on board?

For Tim Lentz, your opener-follower setup has worked well for you, but it’s meant fewer innings for top-notch arms like Chris Yera. Have you thought about having Yera on a more normal schedule?

Freicer Perez had been decent for you in 5 innings. Why did you cut him?

You brought in a ton of new offensive talent for this season. How would you grade the cast for this season?


TRIVIA: Who has the most single-season home runs hit in a year aside from 2025?

[Ben_Dodgers]

Luis Urias and Eric Drouet will miss today’s game. Who will take their place on the roster and lineup?

Isaac Paredes and Benito Castro will be covering the left side of the infield today. The lineup will get shuffled a bit - it's not easy to replace those guys in the 1-2 spots.

Luis Robert is a little banged up. Any consideration to putting him at DH to minimize pressure on his sore hip?

We have 4 outfielders, so he may get a day off. It'll be a game time decision by the manager bot, but I suspect he'll play. The season will be decided by a handful of games - this is the time for the guys to dig deep and play through their bumps and bruises.

Alexis Pantoja played 17 games for Milwaukee in 2024 and hasn’t played in the PBA since. What convinced you to bring him on board?

I guess my assistant GM must have signed him to a minor league contract. When we had some injuries earlier this season I went digging for a replacement and he looked like he could handle the backup role. I prioritize defense in my utility players - ideally I want someone who can step into any position and play the field as well as or better than the starters. I brought him back for roster expansion because he was already on the 40 man and I figured he could help give the guys a rest down the stretch. I have zero expectations for him at the plate. In retrospect, with multiple prolific hitters out of the lineup, maybe I would have been better off putting a stronger bat on the bench. I guess we'll see.

[stlgm]

For Tim Lentz, your opener-follower setup has worked well for you, but it’s meant fewer innings for top-notch arms like Chris Yera. Have you thought about having Yera on a more normal schedule?

-We have thought about it, but we're not going to change what's working. Our advanced analytics department has provided us with the data that this is the way to maximize our pitching talent, and the numbers say they're probably right. Not to mention, Yera's career high in innings pitched in a season is 146, he's on pace for 138 at the moment and there's still the potential of a postseason here in St. Louis. We don't want to over-exert him.

Freicer Perez had been decent for you in 5 innings. Why did you cut him?

-Perez was a late season call up after the three pitching injuries that hit us in late August. He gave us modest production, but mostly luck based. His 0.91 BABIP is obviously unsustainable, he gave up two home runs in those five innings pitched, his FIP was worst on the team. At the end of the day, he was stashed in AAA for a reason...as an injury replacement pitcher that likely would keep us in games. Harvey's return meant someone has to go, Perez didn't do himself any favors by refusing to be demoted. If he clears waivers, we'll see if we have room for him.

You brought in a ton of new offensive talent for this season. How would you grade the cast for this season?

-F. We spent a lot of money and gave up lots of assets to improve our lineup at C, SS, 3B, LF, and RF. In return, our runs per game and team batting average is down from last season, and OBP and OPS is just marginally better. Obviously Joe Mills injury did not help the case, but still a very frustrating return on investment. Our front office has already been crunching numbers and analyzing what we can do to improve this lineup in 2030.

[Commissioner Erick]

Dodgers 3 - Cardinals 1


WP: S. Stapleton (3-2)
LP: A. Wallace (11-6)
SV: A. Pedroza (4)


In a low-scoring affair between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals, pitcher Grayson Rodriguez was the difference between victory and defeat. The Los Angeles right-hander earned accolades in the 3-1 Dodgers win. Los Angeles now has a 3-game win streak.

Rodriguez was in the zone all game. He frustrated St. Louis hitters while giving the Dodgers 7 innings of quality work. Rodriguez threw 84 pitches, allowing 1 hit and getting 6 punchouts.

"We'll pop the top on a cold beverage and get back to work tomorrow," Rodriguez said.


Questions for the GMs:


For Ben Vincent, you played Isaac Paredas at Second Base, Benito Castro at Shortstop, and Alexis Pantoja was a backup. How did the trio look for you?

Your starting pitching hasn't been great this year, but Grayson Rodriguez was dominant in a great start. Do you think he's rounding into form as a pitcher you can trust in the playoffs?

Luis Robert was huge late. Were you surprised he was able to produce so well despite his bad hip?

For Tim Lentz, you said Daniel Brito was going to get the start, but Brady McConnell got the nod at Second Base. Why McConnell?

It didn't work out, but did you agree with Gholston's decision to challenge Robert and his sore hip in the eighth by trying to score the go-ahead run?

Zuleidy Rum pinch hit for Josh Weyer in the ninth in his first PBA outing since posting a .316 OPS with Boston in 2025. Did you agree with the decision?


TRIVIA: Who has the most career outfield assists among Left Fielders?

[Ben_Dodgers]

For Ben Vincent, you played Isaac Paredas at Second Base, Benito Castro at Shortstop, and Alexis Pantoja was a backup. How did the trio look for you?

Well, Paredes knocked in an insurance run, but that was the only offense any of them had all day. And Pantoja made an error on his first play that nearly cost us the game. It worked out in the end, but I’m glad Drouet will be back for the next series.

Your starting pitching hasn't been great this year, but Grayson Rodriguez was dominant in a great start. Do you think he's rounding into form as a pitcher you can trust in the playoffs?

My starting pitching has been a train wreck. But GRod has been reliable enough that he’ll likely get playoff starts, yes.

Luis Robert was huge late. Were you surprised he was able to produce so well despite his bad hip?

No, it didn’t seem to affect his hitting, and you don’t need to be fast for a home run trot. We started our LHP lineup their lefty opener, and then they went with right handed relievers all game, which held us back a bit. We got lucky that they brought in a LHP in the 9th against the heart of our order.

[stlgm]

Jan 8, 2023 17:12:15 GMT -5 Commissioner Erick said:

For Tim Lentz, you said Daniel Brito was going to get the start, but Brady McConnell got the nod at Second Base. Why McConnell?

-Brito was supposed to get the start, but had travel issues getting from Memphis to St. Louis for his call up and wasn't ready for the start of the game so McConnell got the start.  (Honest answer is I have no clue - Brito wasn't tired and supposed to start against RHP. I think my bench coach is trying to get fired at this point)

It didn't work out, but did you agree with Gholston's decision to challenge Robert and his sore hip in the eighth by trying to score the go-ahead run?

-I appreciate Gholston's tenacity in a scoreless game in the 8th inning, but I'd like the third base coach to throw up the stop sign there. Gholston is not the guy that should be trying to take extra bases.

Zuleidy Rum pinch hit for Josh Weyer in the ninth in his first PBA outing since posting a .316 OPS with Boston in 2025. Did you agree with the decision?

-Yes. It's no secret that Weyer is a totally different player vs. LHP. He's 1-for-32 this season against LHP and a career .520 OPS against southpaws. Rum is just the latest in our rotating RH 1B as we have tried to replace Andres Chapparo's production from last season. 

[Commissioner Erick]

TRIVIA 1: Matt successfully guessed Bryce Harper