NL CENTRAL STANDINGS
| Team | W-L | GB | Strk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reds | 20-11 | - | W1 |
| Cubs | 19-12 | 1.0 | W2 |
| Cardinals | 18-13 | 2.0 | W4 |
| Brewers | 16-14 | 3.5 | W1 |
| Pirates | 16-16 | 4.5 | L5 |
NL WEST STANDINGS
| Team | W-L | GB | Strk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodgers | 20-11 | - | L2 |
| Padres | 19-11 | 0.5 | L2 |
| D-backs | 16-14 | 3.5 | L1 |
| Rockies | 14-18 | 6.5 | L1 |
| Giants | 13-18 | 7.0 | L3 |
RECENT RESULTS (LAST 10)
| Date | Opp | H/A | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30 | PIT | Away | W 10-5 |
| Apr 29 | PIT | Away | W 5-4 |
| Apr 28 | PIT | Away | W 11-7 |
| Apr 27 | PIT | Away | W 4-2 |
| Apr 26 | SEA | Home | L 2-3 |
| Apr 25 | SEA | Home | L 9-11 |
| Apr 24 | SEA | Home | L 2-3 |
| Apr 22 | MIA | Away | L 1-4 |
| Apr 21 | MIA | Away | W 5-3 |
| Apr 20 | MIA | Away | L 3-5 |
STARTING PITCHERS
Matthew Liberatore (L). 2026 to date: 0-1, 4.75 ERA across 30.1 IP with 19 K and 11 BB (1.55 WHIP, 8 HR allowed). 2026 to date: 14.1% K, 8.1% BB. 2025 baseline: 18.8% K, 6.2% BB, 3.05 K/BB ratio over 151.2 IP. Both rates have moved against him this season; the home run pace (8 HR in 30.1 IP) is the loudest red flag.
Emmet Sheehan (R). 2026 to date: 2-0, 4.78 ERA across 26.1 IP with 28 K and 9 BB (1.25 WHIP, 4 HR allowed). 2026 to date: 25.5% K, 8.2% BB. 2025 baseline: 30.6% K, 7.6% BB, 4.05 K/BB ratio over 73.1 IP. Still missing bats at a high rate, just not the elite mark of a year ago.
EXPECTED LINEUPS
Cardinals (Projected from 2026-04-30)
| # | Player | Pos | Bats | 2026 RISP AVG | 2026 RISP OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wetherholt | 2B | L | .273 | .764 |
| 2 | Herrera | DH | R | .250 | .805 |
| 3 | Burleson | 1B | L | .366 | .998 |
| 4 | Walker | RF | R | .237 | .743 |
| 5 | Gorman | 3B | L | .242 | .633 |
| 6 | Winn | SS | R | .222 | .572 |
| 7 | Church | LF | L | .267 | .635 |
| 8 | Pagés | C | R | .200 | .577 |
| 9 | Scott | CF | L | .111 | .338 |
Handedness: 4 RHB (Herrera, Walker, Winn, Pagés), 5 LHB (Wetherholt, Burleson, Gorman, Church, Scott).
Dodgers (From active roster)
12 players listed from active roster pool. Actual game lineup will be 9 from this group.
| Player | Pos | Bats |
|---|---|---|
| Call | LF | R |
| Freeland | 2B | S |
| Pages | CF | R |
| Rushing | C | L |
| Freeman | 1B | L |
| Kim | SS | L |
| Tucker | RF | L |
| Muncy | 3B | L |
| Rojas | SS | R |
| Espinal | 3B | R |
| Hernández | LF | R |
| Smith | C | R |
Handedness: 6 RHB (Call, Pages, Rojas, Espinal, Hernández, Smith), 5 LHB (Rushing, Freeman, Kim, Tucker, Muncy), 1 SHB (Freeland).
INJURIES & ROSTER NOTES
No external injury or roster moves were sourced for tonight beyond the JSON inputs (no web search performed in Phase 2). Cardinals enter on a 4-game win streak after sweeping the Pirates 4-0 in Pittsburgh; the Dodgers come in dropping back-to-back (L2). The series opens a 3-game home set at Busch Stadium.
2A: BVP -- CARDINALS BATTERS VS OPPONENT STARTER
| Player | PA | AB | H | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan Herrera | 3 | 3 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Alec Burleson | 2 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Masyn Winn | 2 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nolan Gorman | 2 | 2 | 1 | .500 | .500 | 2.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Walker | 2 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Small sample: Ivan Herrera (3 PA), Alec Burleson (2 PA), Masyn Winn (2 PA), Nolan Gorman (2 PA), Jordan Walker (2 PA).
Five Cardinals carry any career sample against Sheehan, all of them tiny. Gorman owns the only positive line -- 1-for-2 with a HR (career, 2 PA) -- but two plate appearances forecasts almost nothing. Herrera is 0-for-3 with 3 K, an extreme but tinny mark. Burleson, Winn, and Walker have 2 PA apiece with no hits. The Cardinals are essentially facing Sheehan blind.
Bench note: No significant bench BvP history against Sheehan. Wetherholt, Church, Pagés, and Scott have no career BvP samples in this dataset.
2B: BVP -- OPPONENT BATTERS VS CARDINALS STARTER
| Player | PA | AB | H | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago Espinal | 6 | 6 | 1 | .167 | .167 | .167 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Tucker | 6 | 6 | 1 | .167 | .167 | .167 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Freddie Freeman | 6 | 5 | 4 | .800 | .833 | .800 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Smith | 5 | 4 | 2 | .500 | .600 | .500 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Teoscar Hernandez | 4 | 4 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Miguel Rojas | 3 | 3 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Freeland | 2 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Call | 2 | 2 | 1 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andy Pages | 2 | 2 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Small sample: Santiago Espinal (6 PA), Kyle Tucker (6 PA), Freddie Freeman (6 PA), Will Smith (5 PA), Teoscar Hernandez (4 PA), Miguel Rojas (3 PA), Alex Freeland (2 PA), Alex Call (2 PA), Andy Pages (2 PA).
Freeman is 4-for-5 (.800) career vs Liberatore in 6 PA -- the only meaningful BvP line on the Dodgers side. Will Smith is 2-for-4 with a walk (.500 / .600 / .500). Tucker (1-for-6) and Espinal (1-for-6) sit at .167 each. Hernandez is 0-for-4 with 2 K. None of these samples cross the 10-AB danger-bat threshold, but Freeman's hit rate is loud and he is the obvious BvP threat to game-plan around.
Bench note: No additional opponent bench BvP entries beyond the lineup pool.
2C: PLATOON SPLITS -- CARDINALS
| Player | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alec Burleson L | 419 | .296 | .353 | .478 | 15 | 32 | 59 |
| Masyn Winn R | 374 | .251 | .309 | .368 | 7 | 23 | 71 |
| Victor Scott L | 332 | .221 | .310 | .317 | 5 | 31 | 75 |
| Ivan Herrera R | 328 | .268 | .343 | .399 | 10 | 24 | 66 |
| Nolan Gorman L | 309 | .201 | .294 | .349 | 9 | 37 | 111 |
| Jordan Walker R | 289 | .200 | .263 | .291 | 4 | 21 | 94 |
| Pedro Pagés R | 276 | .225 | .264 | .364 | 9 | 12 | 72 |
| Nathan Church L | 51 | .114 | .216 | .182 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
Sheehan is RHP, so the 2025 vs-RHP table is the operative split. Burleson L is the platoon anchor: .296 / .353 / .478 vs RHP in 419 PA with 15 HR. He is the bat the Cardinals build the inning around against a right-hander. Herrera R (.268 / .343 / .399) and Winn R (.251 / .309 / .368) supply the right-handed pushback. Gorman L (.201) and Walker R (.200) are both at or below the Mendoza line in 2025 splits and are the lineup's drag against Sheehan's profile. Scott L (.221) and Church L (.114, 51 PA) round out a left-leaning lineup that will have to find runs without much surplus from the bottom third.
2C: PLATOON SPLITS -- OPPONENT
| Player | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Tucker L | 208 | .272 | .367 | .467 | 9 | 25 | 32 |
| Freddie Freeman L | 206 | .283 | .345 | .503 | 9 | 16 | 50 |
| Andy Pages R | 167 | .287 | .317 | .394 | 3 | 6 | 37 |
| Teoscar Hernandez R | 148 | .255 | .291 | .461 | 7 | 6 | 27 |
| Miguel Rojas R | 142 | .289 | .355 | .500 | 6 | 13 | 17 |
| Will Smith R | 129 | .252 | .380 | .421 | 4 | 21 | 32 |
| Alex Call R | 128 | .306 | .360 | .459 | 4 | 10 | 22 |
| Santiago Espinal R | 126 | .265 | .317 | .342 | 0 | 9 | 11 |
| Max Muncy R | 44 | .200 | .273 | .275 | 1 | 4 | 14 |
| Dalton Rushing L | 41 | .171 | .244 | .171 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
| Hyeseong Kim L | 21 | .381 | .381 | .571 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Alex Freeland B | 16 | .143 | .250 | .143 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
Liberatore is LHP, so the 2025 vs-LHP table is the operative split. The Dodgers have multiple bats with strong profiles. Freeman L (.283 / .345 / .503, 9 HR in 206 PA) and Tucker L (.272 / .367 / .467, 9 HR in 208 PA) are platoon-resistant lefties who do not lose production against a left-hander. Andy Pages R (.287 / .317 / .394) and Call R (.306 / .360 / .459) carry the most efficient right-handed lines. Hernandez R (.255, .461 SLG) and Rojas R (.289 / .355 / .500) round out a deep group. Smaller samples: Kim L hit .381 in 21 PA and Rushing L .171 in 41 PA. The depth of competent vs-LHP profiles is the primary stress point on Liberatore tonight.
2D: PITCHER PLATOON SPLITS
| Pitcher | vs | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore | vs RHB | 515 | .265 | .304 | .426 | .691 | 16 | 93 |
| Matthew Liberatore | vs LHB | 133 | .274 | .348 | .410 | .684 | 3 | 29 |
| Emmet Sheehan | vs LHB | 128 | .180 | .289 | .333 | .513 | 3 | 38 |
| Emmet Sheehan | vs RHB | 202 | .225 | .267 | .348 | .573 | 4 | 57 |
Liberatore is essentially platoon-neutral: .265 vs RHB (515 PA) and .274 vs LHB (133 PA), with .691 / .684 OPS lines. He does not gain a meaningful advantage from a same-handed lineup, which is relevant against the Dodgers' deep group of competent vs-LHP bats.
Sheehan is the inverse -- he hammers LHB at .180 / .289 / .333 (.513 OPS, 128 PA) and is steadier but less elite vs RHB at .225 / .267 / .348 (.573 OPS, 202 PA). The Cardinals send 5 LHB tonight (Wetherholt, Burleson, Gorman, Church, Scott) into Sheehan's strongest profile -- the matchup type that suppresses contact and inflates strikeouts.
2D-HA: PITCHER HOME/AWAY SPLITS
| Pitcher | Split | BF | IP | ERA | K | BB | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore | Away | 334 | 76.0 | 4.03 | 59 | 26 | 11 |
| Matthew Liberatore | Home | 314 | 75.2 | 3.69 | 63 | 14 | 8 |
| Emmet Sheehan | Away | 143 | 33.0 | 4.64 | 38 | 15 | 5 |
| Emmet Sheehan | Home | 187 | 47.2 | 2.08 | 57 | 12 | 2 |
Tonight's game is at Busch Stadium -- Liberatore pitching home, Sheehan pitching away. Liberatore's career home line is 3.69 ERA across 75.2 IP, modestly better than his 4.03 ERA away. Sheehan's split is much sharper: 2.08 ERA at home (47.2 IP) versus 4.64 ERA on the road (33.0 IP). The Cardinals get the road version of Sheehan, who has historically allowed more contact and more walks away from Dodger Stadium.
2E: TTO SPLITS (TIMES THROUGH ORDER)
| Pitcher | TTO | PA | AVG | SLG | OPS | HR | K | BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore | TTO1 | 264 | .237 | .376 | .613 | 8 | 56 | 15 |
| Matthew Liberatore | TTO2 | 252 | .310 | .511 | .821 | 9 | 40 | 17 |
| Matthew Liberatore | TTO3 | 132 | .244 | .353 | .597 | 2 | 26 | 8 |
| Emmet Sheehan | TTO1 | 168 | .242 | .373 | .615 | 3 | 45 | 12 |
| Emmet Sheehan | TTO2 | 119 | .196 | .346 | .542 | 3 | 36 | 10 |
| Emmet Sheehan | TTO3 | 43 | .105 | .211 | .316 | 1 | 14 | 5 |
Liberatore carries a sharp second pass through the order spike (2025): .237 / .613 OPS first pass, .310 / .821 OPS second pass, .244 / .597 third pass. The middle innings (typically innings 4-6) are when his stuff loses its edge. Tonight that overlaps with the heart of the Dodgers order coming around for their second look.
Sheehan moves the other direction (2025) -- .242 / .615 OPS first pass through the order, .196 / .542 second pass, .105 / .316 third pass (43 PA, small sample). His pattern rewards length rather than punishing it; if the Cardinals are going to break through, the first pass through the order is the highest-percentage window.
2F: INHERITED RUNNERS PROFILE
| Reliever | IR | Scored | Strand% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Leahy | 29 | 11 | 62.1% |
| JoJo Romero | 26 | 3 | 88.5% |
| Matt Svanson | 26 | 13 | 50.0% |
| Gordon Graceffo | 11 | 5 | 54.5% |
| Riley O'Brien | 10 | 3 | 70.0% |
| Michael McGreevy | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
Romero (88.5% strand rate, 26 IR) is the high-leverage anchor on this front -- when he enters with traffic, runs do not score. Leahy (62.1%, 29 IR) and McGreevy (100%, 3 IR small sample) round out the credible group. Svanson (50.0%, 26 IR) and Graceffo (54.5%, 11 IR) are the strand-pct vulnerabilities -- the relievers to watch carefully if a runner is on second in a tight inning. League average strand rate sits in the ~68-72% band.
2G: BATTED BALL MATCHUP
Pitcher Batted Ball Profiles (Career)
| Pitcher | BIP | GB% | FB% | LD% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore | 463 | 39.1% | 31.3% | 27.6% |
| Emmet Sheehan | 199 | 35.2% | 35.7% | 28.6% |
Hitter Batted Ball Results (Career) -- LAD
| Hitter | GB AVG | LD AVG | FB AVG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Call | .235 | .684 | .141 |
| Santiago Espinal | .306 | .500 | .048 |
| Alex Freeland | .353 | .600 | .111 |
| Freddie Freeman | .279 | .667 | .119 |
| Teoscar Hernandez | .222 | .649 | .087 |
| Hyeseong Kim | .351 | .586 | .250 |
| Max Muncy | .190 | .586 | .143 |
| Andy Pages | .258 | .592 | .096 |
| Miguel Rojas | .239 | .597 | .069 |
| Dalton Rushing | .267 | .600 | .167 |
| Will Smith | .362 | .688 | .100 |
| Kyle Tucker | .185 | .628 | .122 |
Both starters tilt slightly fly-ball: Liberatore's career batted-ball mix is 39.1% GB / 31.3% FB / 27.6% LD; Sheehan is 35.2% GB / 35.7% FB / 28.6% LD. Neither carries a dominant ground-ball profile, so line drives and balls in the air are the primary outcome paths.
Tucker (.628 LD AVG career), Freeman (.667), Hernandez (.649), and Smith (.688) all punish line-drive contact at elite rates while their fly-ball AVGs sit under .130. The recipe for Liberatore tonight is keeping the ball off the barrel -- when LAD lifts a fly the result has typically been a routine out, but their line-drive profiles are dangerous.
2H: BATTERY PAIRING
| Catcher | G | IP | ERA | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedro Pagés | 15 | 75.2 | 3.93 | .279 | -- | -- |
| Yohel Pozo | 12 | 63.2 | 4.10 | .259 | -- | -- |
| Jimmy Crooks | 2 | 11.0 | 2.45 | .225 | -- | -- |
Tonight's scheduled catcher is Pedro Pages, who carries the bulk pairing in the Cardinals' 2026 receiving room (15 G, 75.2 IP, 3.93 ERA). Pozo is the secondary backstop on the active roster (12 G, 63.2 IP, 4.10 ERA). Jimmy Crooks (2 G, 11.0 IP, 2.45 ERA) is not on the active roster, so those 11 innings reflect a brief earlier-season window. The Liberatore-Pages combination is the highest-volume battery on this staff and the most calibrated pair available.
2I: BASERUNNING MATCHUP
Top opponent baserunning threats (career SB / CS / Success%):
- Kyle Tucker -- 25 SB, 3 CS, 89.3%. Elite efficiency and the lineup's primary base-stealing threat.
- Hyeseong Kim -- 13 SB, 1 CS, 92.9%. Highest success rate in the group; rarely caught.
- Andy Pages -- 14 SB, 7 CS, 66.7%. Volume but not efficient; catchable.
- Freddie Freeman -- 6 SB, 2 CS, 75.0%. Picks his spots.
- Miguel Rojas -- 5 SB, 0 CS, 100%. Small sample but spotless.
- Teoscar Hernandez -- 5 SB, 2 CS, 71.4%.
- Santiago Espinal -- 2 SB, 1 CS, 66.7%.
- Alex Call -- 2 SB, 1 CS, 66.7%.
- Will Smith -- 2 SB, 3 CS, 40.0%. The opposite signal -- often thrown out.
- Max Muncy -- 1 SB, 1 CS, 50.0%.
- Alex Freeland -- 1 SB, 0 CS, 100% (small sample).
2J: DEFENSIVE CONTEXT
| Player | POS | G | DP | E | Fld% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Scott | CF | 136 | 3 | 6 | 0.982 |
| Masyn Winn | SS | 129 | 64 | 3 | 0.994 |
| Pedro Pagés | C | 110 | 6 | 5 | 0.994 |
| Jordan Walker | RF | 108 | 2 | 4 | 0.981 |
| Nolan Gorman | 3B | 54 | 11 | 6 | 0.950 |
| Alec Burleson | 1B | 50 | 27 | 4 | 0.990 |
| Alec Burleson | LF | 41 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Alec Burleson | RF | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0.983 |
| Nolan Gorman | 2B | 28 | 9 | 1 | 0.990 |
| Nathan Church | CF | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Ivan Herrera | C | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0.989 |
| Nolan Gorman | 1B | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Nathan Church | RF | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Victor Scott | RF | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Nathan Church | LF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Victor Scott | LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Ivan Herrera | LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Pedro Pagés | 1B | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Pedro Pagés | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Alec Burleson | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | -- |
Tonight's defensive alignment is the standard look. Winn at SS (.994 fld_pct, 129 G in 2025) and Scott in CF (.982, 136 G) anchor up-the-middle defense. Pages behind the plate (.994, 110 G) is the most-deployed catcher. Walker holds RF (.981, 108 G); Burleson handles 1B (.990, 50 G). Gorman at 3B (.950, 54 G, 6 errors) is the most error-prone hot-spot in tonight's alignment, and a ground-heavy attack would route work his way.
2K: BALLPARK CONTEXT & HEAD-TO-HEAD
Cardinals vs Dodgers, recent seasons: 4-2 in 2025, 2-5 in 2024, 3-4 in 2023, 2-4 in 2022. The Cardinals were the better side last season; the trailing three years went the Dodgers' way.
Busch Stadium plays as a neutral venue with a slight pitcher tilt historically; specific park factors are not in tonight's JSON.
2L: BATTER K%/BB% PROFILE
Cardinals
| Player | PA | K | K% | BB | BB% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alec Burleson | 544 | 79 | 14.5% | 39 | 7.2% |
| Masyn Winn | 537 | 102 | 19.0% | 34 | 6.3% |
| Victor Scott | 463 | 111 | 24.0% | 42 | 9.1% |
| Ivan Herrera | 450 | 84 | 18.7% | 43 | 9.6% |
| Nolan Gorman | 402 | 136 | 33.8% | 47 | 11.7% |
| Jordan Walker | 396 | 126 | 31.8% | 29 | 7.3% |
| Pedro Pagés | 389 | 107 | 27.5% | 19 | 4.9% |
| Nathan Church | 65 | 18 | 27.7% | 3 | 4.6% |
Burleson (14.5% 2025 K%, 7.2% 2025 BB%) is the lineup's most disciplined contact bat. Winn 19.0% K and Herrera 18.7% K hold the line in the middle. Gorman 33.8% K and Walker 31.8% K are the strikeout risks (2025) -- both above the 25% high-K threshold. Pages (4.9% 2025 BB%) and Church (4.6%) are the lowest-walk profiles in the group, both under the 6% low-BB line.
Dodgers
| Player | PA | K | K% | BB | BB% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freddie Freeman | 627 | 128 | 20.4% | 60 | 9.6% |
| Andy Pages | 624 | 135 | 21.6% | 29 | 4.6% |
| Kyle Tucker | 595 | 88 | 14.8% | 87 | 14.6% |
| Teoscar Hernandez | 545 | 134 | 24.6% | 26 | 4.8% |
| Will Smith | 436 | 89 | 20.4% | 64 | 14.7% |
| Santiago Espinal | 328 | 38 | 11.6% | 21 | 6.4% |
| Alex Call | 322 | 55 | 17.1% | 36 | 11.2% |
| Miguel Rojas | 317 | 46 | 14.5% | 24 | 7.6% |
| Max Muncy | 220 | 68 | 30.9% | 10 | 4.5% |
| Hyeseong Kim | 170 | 52 | 30.6% | 7 | 4.1% |
| Dalton Rushing | 155 | 58 | 37.4% | 10 | 6.5% |
| Alex Freeland | 97 | 35 | 36.1% | 11 | 11.3% |
Tucker (14.8% 2025 K%, 14.6% 2025 BB%) and Smith (20.4% K, 14.7% BB) are elite zone-controllers -- both BB%s clear the 14% mark. Rushing 37.4% K, Freeland 36.1% K, Muncy 30.9% K, and Kim 30.6% K are the high-strikeout vulnerabilities (all 2025). Andy Pages (4.6% 2025 BB%), Hernandez (4.8%), and Muncy (4.5%) all fall under the low-walk threshold and are the most chase-prone bats in the group.
2M: BATTER BATTED BALL PROFILE
Cardinals
| Player | BIP | GB% | FB% | LD% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alec Burleson | 398 | 42.0% | 33.4% | 24.6% |
| Masyn Winn | 376 | 39.6% | 34.0% | 26.3% |
| Ivan Herrera | 285 | 52.6% | 21.8% | 25.6% |
| Victor Scott | 259 | 40.2% | 32.0% | 27.8% |
| Pedro Pagés | 243 | 44.9% | 30.9% | 24.3% |
| Jordan Walker | 231 | 48.9% | 29.4% | 21.6% |
| Nolan Gorman | 199 | 30.2% | 41.7% | 28.1% |
| Nathan Church | 37 | 67.6% | 21.6% | 10.8% |
Gorman is the lineup's clear fly-ball / low-GB outlier (30.2% 2025 GB%, 41.7% 2025 FB%) -- the bat that punishes pitches lifted in the zone. Herrera (52.6% 2025 GB%) and Walker (48.9%) are ground-ball-heavy. Burleson (42.0%), Winn (39.6%), and Scott (40.2%) sit in the league-average band. Church's 67.6% GB rate (2025) is extreme but on a small sample (37 BIP).
Dodgers
| Player | BIP | GB% | FB% | LD% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Pages | 459 | 38.8% | 34.0% | 27.2% |
| Freddie Freeman | 455 | 43.3% | 29.7% | 27.0% |
| Kyle Tucker | 412 | 36.7% | 35.9% | 27.4% |
| Teoscar Hernandez | 396 | 50.0% | 26.3% | 23.7% |
| Will Smith | 295 | 35.6% | 37.3% | 27.1% |
| Santiago Espinal | 259 | 42.9% | 32.4% | 24.7% |
| Miguel Rojas | 247 | 45.7% | 29.1% | 25.1% |
| Alex Call | 219 | 44.7% | 29.2% | 26.0% |
| Max Muncy | 127 | 49.6% | 27.6% | 22.8% |
| Hyeseong Kim | 106 | 53.8% | 18.9% | 27.4% |
| Dalton Rushing | 80 | 37.5% | 37.5% | 25.0% |
| Alex Freeland | 45 | 37.8% | 40.0% | 22.2% |
Hernandez (50.0% 2025 GB%), Kim (53.8%), and Muncy (49.6%) are the Dodgers' ground-ball-leaners. Freeland (40.0% 2025 FB%), Smith (37.3%), Rushing (37.5%), and Tucker (35.9%) push more balls in the air. Liberatore is mildly fly-ball-leaning at 39.1% career GB / 31.3% FB -- aligned profiles like Tucker and Smith are the ones that match up to drive pitches up in the zone.
2N: PITCHER K%/BB% PROFILE
| Pitcher | IP | K | K% | BB | BB% | K/BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore | 151.2 | 122 | 18.8% | 40 | 6.2% | 3.05 |
| Emmet Sheehan | 73.1 | 89 | 30.6% | 22 | 7.6% | 4.05 |
Liberatore 2026 to date: 14.1% K, 8.1% BB across 30.1 IP. 2025 baseline: 18.8% K, 6.2% BB, 3.05 K/BB ratio over 151.2 IP. Both rates have moved against him this season.
Sheehan 2026 to date: 25.5% K, 8.2% BB across 26.1 IP. 2025 baseline: 30.6% K, 7.6% BB, 4.05 K/BB ratio over 73.1 IP. He is still missing bats at a high rate, just not at last year's elite mark.
KEY MATCHUPS & WATCHLIST
Sheehan vs the Cardinals' five lefties. Sheehan's 2025 vs-LHB line is .180 / .289 / .333 with a .513 OPS in 128 PA (Section 2D). Five LHB start tonight (Wetherholt, Burleson, Gorman, Church, Scott) -- the contact-suppressing matchup type that has held LHB to a .180 average. Burleson is the most credible vs-RHP bat in the group (.296 / .353 / .478, Section 2C) and the Cardinals' best chance to pierce that profile.
Freeman vs Liberatore. Freeman is 4-for-5 (.800 / .833 / .800) career vs Liberatore in 6 PA (Section 2B), and his 2025 vs-LHP line is .283 / .345 / .503 with 9 HR in 206 PA (Section 2C). The BvP sample is small but the trend matches the platoon profile -- Freeman is the most dangerous individual matchup of the night.
Liberatore TTO2 (innings 4-6). Liberatore's second pass through the order is a clear cliff: .310 AVG / .821 OPS in 252 PA (2025, Section 2E). The middle innings are when his stuff loses bite, and the top of the Dodgers order will come around for that second look in exactly that window. Whoever is warm in the bullpen at that point matters as much as the starter.
QUICK REFERENCE -- IN-GAME QUERIES
1. How has Alec Burleson performed against Emmet Sheehan in their career?
2. How has Matthew Liberatore fared against Freddie Freeman in their career?
3. How has Kyle Tucker performed against JoJo Romero in their career?
4. What are Matthew Liberatore's third-time-through-the-order splits in 2025?
5. What are Freddie Freeman's splits vs LHP in 2025?
6. How often does JoJo Romero strand inherited runners in 2025?
7. What is the home run park factor at Busch Stadium in 2025?
700 CLARK -- POWERED BY BASES.CHAT | HISTORICAL DATA THROUGH 2025