Dodgers vs. Cardinals Preview: Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado Visit LA
This week, the Dodgers will be facing off against the Cardinals and it will be interesting to see. Over the decades in the National League, we’ve seen these two powerhouse franchises battle it out. Some of the biggest moments, however, have often occurred in the playoffs. The most recent one being in 2013, when the Dodgers had made their way to the playoffs, only to lose to the Cardinals.
That was a tough series for LA and for the early postseason legacy of then young ace Clayton Kershaw. However, that is the past and the Dodgers have been able to find their way back to the top, especially after their World Series Championship in 2020.
Notably, these are two very different teams from those days. So, who are some Cards players that fans should pay attention to?
A big part of St. Louis’s success right now is their starting rotation. It is clear that there are some real stars within this rotation. John Gant (1.81 ERA, 44 IP) has paired with Jack Flaherty (2.84 ERA, 57 IP) to form one of the more formidable tops of the rotation in baseball. And closer Alex Reyes has turned into one of the best stoppers in baseball this season.
There’s no doubt that these pitchers are a big reason why this team is the best in their division.
Related: Dave Roberts Believes the NL West is the Best Division in Baseball
Moving onto the Cardinals lineup. There are some familiar faces that will be back in Dodger Stadium this weekend. Former Rockies star Nolan Arenado and former Diamondbacks star Paul Goldschmidt are going to be facing off against the Dodgers once again, but this time, together.
Arenado — a focal point in Dodger offseason rumors — has a total of 11 home runs this year, while Goldschmidt has had 6 home runs so far. With that said, Arenado has been the leading run producer in the St. Louis lineup, dispelling the narrative that he can’t succeed outside of Coors Field.
Plus, you can never count out future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina, who has been with the organization for his entire career. The veteran backstop has also been having a good year, with a batting average of .297.
With the Cardinals being 30-23 at the moment, they are fairly evenly matched with the 31-22 Dodgers. While this team has some talented players, so do the Dodgers. The boys in blue aren’t that far removed from an 8 game winning streak and open the series with none other than Trevor Bauer.
The history between these two clubs has had some rough endings for the Dodgers, but this time, it will not end that way. The Dodgers have found their rhythm again and should continue to prosper throughout this series.
Keep an eye out for one Dylan Carlson on the Cardinals, plays OF, comes from my high school, Elk Grove.