Sports Today Tuesday, September 1
← Back to today’s slate MLB matchup · September 1, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals
68-70 · 3rd in NL Central, 17 GB
Offense cooling lately
RHP Michael McGreevy · Pitches to contact
@
Los Angeles Dodgers
82-55 · 1st in NL West
Offense cooling lately
LHP Eric Lauer · Pitches to contact
MLB · UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, hits run 8% below average here · 7:10 PM PT

Team Identity

St. Louis Cardinals
Season-to-date, 138 games, 5,393 PA.
A balanced offense without a standout strength or glaring weakness. The offense has cooled off recently.
Power
Well Below19
Contact
Average54
Plate Discipline
Below Avg33
Speed
Average60
RISP
Average46
Recent Form
Trending Down
Walk rate is down 33% over the team's last 10 games versus its season baseline.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Season-to-date, 137 games, 5,369 PA.
An opportunistic, contact-oriented offense that cashes in scoring chances, though it can be station-to-station. The offense has cooled off recently.
Power
Above Avg81
Contact
Elite97
Plate Discipline
Elite90
Speed
Below Avg25
RISP
Elite98
Recent Form
Trending Down
Total bases per PA is down 27% over the team's last 10 games versus its season baseline.

What This Game Is About

Biggest Advantage

Dodgers' offense is defined by being opportunistic, and this game tests whether Cardinals can match it.

Swing Factor

Michael McGreevy strikes hitters out at a 16.5% clip (15th percentile); Dodgers carry a 20.0% strikeout rate.

Momentum

Cardinals are trending down and Dodgers are trending down over their last 10 games.

Key Matchups

Can Michael McGreevy miss enough bats?
Michael McGreevy strikes hitters out at a 16.5% clip (15th percentile); Dodgers carry a 20.0% strikeout rate.
Edge · DodgersMichael McGreevy: 16.5% K rateDodgers: 20.0% K rateHigh confidence
Can Michael McGreevy limit Dodgers' power?
Dodgers rank in the 81st percentile in extra-base production, while Michael McGreevy sits in the 19th percentile at suppressing total bases.
Edge · DodgersDodgers: 0.363 TB/PAMichael McGreevy: 0.392 TB/PA allowed (594 PA)High confidence
Can Eric Lauer miss enough bats?
Eric Lauer strikes hitters out at a 15.2% clip (11th percentile); Cardinals carry a 20.0% strikeout rate.
Edge · CardinalsEric Lauer: 15.2% K rateCardinals: 20.0% K rateHigh confidence
Can Michael McGreevy command the strike zone?
Dodgers walk in 9.5% of trips; Michael McGreevy allows walks sparingly (6.4%).
Edge · Michael McGreevyDodgers: 9.5% walk rateMichael McGreevy: 6.4% walks allowedHigh confidence
Can Eric Lauer command the strike zone?
Cardinals walk in 8.2% of trips; Eric Lauer allows walks sparingly (7.4%).
Edge · Eric LauerCardinals: 8.2% walk rateEric Lauer: 7.4% walks allowedHigh confidence

Pitcher Trends

Michael McGreevy
Michael McGreevy
St. Louis Cardinals · 8 starts
SP
Strikeouts4.0/start
Hits allowed6.4/start
8+ Hits Allowed — 3 of last 64 or fewer Strikeouts — 4 of last 6
16% K rate
Per-start form only — opponent lineup, park, and pitch count aren't modeled.
Eric Lauer
Eric Lauer
Los Angeles Dodgers · 8 starts
SP
Strikeouts3.9/start
Hits allowed5.9/start
4 or fewer Hits Allowed — 3 of last 64 or fewer Strikeouts — 3 of last 6
15% K rate
Per-start form only — opponent lineup, park, and pitch count aren't modeled.

Player Trends

Bryan Torres
Bryan Torres
St. Louis Cardinals · 0.412 hit rate · 0.412 TB/PA
Heating up
recent games · 1+ hit
L53 / 5L107 / 10L2516 / 252-game hit streak
Hit rate is up 116% over his prior baseline, with hits in 4 of his last 6 games. He has trimmed his strikeout rate to 12%.
Nathan Church
Nathan Church
St. Louis Cardinals · 0.242 hit rate · 0.424 TB/PA
Heating up
recent games · 1+ hit
L53 / 5L108 / 10L2518 / 25
Total bases per PA is up 33% over his prior baseline, with hits in 6 of his last 8 games. He has trimmed his strikeout rate to 9%.
Jimmy Crooks
Jimmy Crooks
St. Louis Cardinals · 0.176 hit rate · 0.412 TB/PA
Heating up
recent games · 1+ hit
L53 / 5L104 / 10L2510 / 252-game hit streak
Total bases per PA is up 45% over his prior baseline, with hits in 3 of his last 7 games.
Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani
Los Angeles Dodgers · 0.106 hit rate · 0.170 TB/PA
Cooling off
recent games · 1+ hit
L52 / 5L104 / 10L2515 / 25
Total bases per PA is down 63% over his prior baseline, with hits in 4 of his last 10 games. His strikeout rate has climbed to 32%.
Miguel Rojas
Miguel Rojas
Los Angeles Dodgers · 0.200 hit rate · 0.267 TB/PA
Cooling off
recent games · 1+ hit
L53 / 5L104 / 10L2512 / 25
On-base rate is down 37% over his prior baseline, with hits in 3 of his last 6 games. His strikeout rate has climbed to 13%.

Players Positioned to Succeed

75
Freddie Freeman
Freddie Freeman
1+ Hit
Los Angeles Dodgers
Why it stands out
Recent contact results are improving
Main risk
Lineup not yet posted
74
Mookie Betts
Mookie Betts
1+ Hit
Los Angeles Dodgers
Why it stands out
Recent contact results are improving
Main risk
Lineup not yet posted
73
Jordan Walker
Jordan Walker
1+ Hit
St. Louis Cardinals
Why it stands out
Strong recent plate-appearance volume
Main risk
Elevated recent strikeout rate
70
Tommy Edman
Tommy Edman
1+ Hit
Los Angeles Dodgers
Why it stands out
Strong recent plate-appearance volume
Main risk
Lineup not yet posted
70
JJ Wetherholt
JJ Wetherholt
1+ Hit
St. Louis Cardinals
Why it stands out
Strong recent plate-appearance volume
Main risk
Lineup not yet posted
69
Andy Pages
Andy Pages
1+ Hit
Los Angeles Dodgers
Why it stands out
Low recent strikeout rate
Main risk
Lineup not yet posted

Expected Game Shape

BalancedLow confidence

Competitive profile without a clear stylistic tilt. Dodgers bring more power.

Early edge Dodgers Driver No single dominant factor Volatility Moderate
  • Both probable starters grade around the 33rd percentile in combined suppression.
  • Cardinals are trending down; Dodgers are trending down.

Storylines to Watch

Does Dodgers' power tilt the game?
Dodgers bring a clearly stronger extra-base profile into this matchup.
Cardinals power pct 19 vs Dodgers 81
Is Bryan Torres the one to watch?
Bryan Torres enters as Cardinals' hottest bat. Hit rate is up 116% over his prior baseline, with hits in 4 of his last 6 games. He has trimmed his strikeout rate to 12%.
0.412 hit rate · 0.412 TB/PA · 0.191 hit rate · 0.321 TB/PA
Can Shohei Ohtani snap out of it?
Shohei Ohtani has cooled off. Total bases per PA is down 63% over his prior baseline, with hits in 4 of his last 10 games. His strikeout rate has climbed to 32%.
0.106 hit rate · 0.170 TB/PA · 0.242 hit rate · 0.460 TB/PA
Based on plate appearances before 2026-09-01, with today's posted lineups when available. Injuries, weather, bullpen availability, and park factors are not yet included.