The opener of a three-game set Friday night at Busch Stadium features right-hander Emmet Sheehan for the Los Angeles Dodgers against left-hander Matthew Liberatore for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Both starters enter with similar ERAs in the mid-4.00, but very different profiles, Sheehan with more power, Liberatore with more craft.
Pitching Matchup: Contrasting Styles, Similar Margins
Liberatore, a former first-round pick, continues to profile as a command-and-contact left-hander whose success depends heavily on sequencing and limiting damage. Through six starts (30.1 innings), he owns a 4.75 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP, allowing 36 hits and eight home runs. His strikeout rate (19 strikeouts) is modest, which suggests that he is not overpowering hitters.
Liberatore features a fastball, breaking ball, and changeup, and hasn’t shown to have a dominant out pitch. Instead, he relies on pitchability and winning the big moments by limiting hard contact, although that has been a struggle for him at times, as evidenced by the fact that he’s given up 8 home runs on the year.
Liberatore, because he doesn’t have overpowering stuff, has struggled when he falls behind. Opponents are hitting .351 against him in those situations, and his WHIP balloons to 2.88. That has led to traffic on the bases and shorter outings, including a 3.1-inning, five-run start in his most recent appearance.
The Dodgers’ likely plan is straightforward but disciplined:
Force deep counts early
Lean on right-handed power bats
Capitalize on mistakes in hitters’ counts
That approach aligns well with hitters like Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernández, who excel at driving the ball when ahead.
Sheehan, meanwhile, presents power stuff, swing-and-miss ability, and developing command. The 26-year-old has struck out 28 batters in 26.1 innings (9.57 K/9) but carries a 4.78 ERA due to occasional command lapses and susceptibility to early damage.
His profile is built around:
High-strikeout arsenal (career 10.18 K/9)
Improved efficiency compared to his 2023 debut
Platoon dominance: right-handed hitters batting just .132 against him in 2026
Recent outings suggest upward momentum for the young right-handers, especially in his first pitch strike throwing. Over his last three starts, Sheehan has allowed just six runs in 17.1 innings, including a 10-strikeout performance against Chicago.
However, there are clear areas of concern:
First-inning struggles (9.00 ERA)
Vulnerability to left-handed hitters (.311 opponent average)
Occasional home run issues (1.37 HR/9 in 2026)
Against a Cardinals lineup featuring left-handed or switch-hitting threats like Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson, Sheehan’s plan will likely center on:
Establishing the fastball early
Using breaking pitches to neutralize lefties
Avoiding early-count damage
Dodgers Offense: Depth, Power, and Patience
At 20–11, Los Angeles sits atop the NL West, and its offense has been a driving force, although not lately, to say the least. The Dodgers combine power, plate discipline, and lineup depth in a way few teams can match.
Key contributors include, but are not limited to:
Max Muncy: .287/.374/.594, 9 HR
Dalton Rushing: 1.271 OPS in limited action
Andy Pages: .321 average, .884 OPS
Shohei Ohtani: .406 OBP, consistent run production
Even their “down” bats—such as Freddie Freeman (.742 OPS) and Kyle Tucker (.702 OPS)—still contribute situationally, and we know they’re both powder kegs waiting to go off at any time.
The weakness, if any, is inconsistency at the bottom of the order and occasional strikeout spikes, but those are minor relative to their overall production.
Cardinals Offense: Top-Heavy Production, Emerging Identity
St. Louis enters at 18–13, third in the NL Central, with an offense that has shown flashes of being very good, but remains inconsistent, largely because the bottom of their order hasn’t been great. So, they are carried by the middle of the order, no question.
The middle of the order has carried the load:
Jordan Walker: .906 OPS, 9 HR
JJ Wetherholt: .857 OPS, strong OBP
Iván Herrera: .420 OBP, elite plate discipline
Alec Burleson: .277/.356/.445
Still, the Cardinals rank well in total bases and have shown the ability to slug in terms of gathering extra-base hits, which means they can put together big innings when they get things going, something the Dodgers’ pitchers will have to avoid.
Pitching and Defense: Stability vs. Variance
The Dodgers’ pitching staff, especially in their starters, has been very good.
Defensively, Los Angeles remains solid, particularly up the middle, with versatility across positions.
St. Louis, by contrast, has experienced more volatility on the mound:
Liberatore’s 1.55 WHIP reflects frequent baserunners
Home run prevention has been an issue (8 HR allowed)
Bullpen depth remains a question in high-leverage spots
Defensively, the Cardinals are steady but not elite, relying more on positioning and fundamentals than standout range.
Trends and Standings Context
This series carries early-season significance for both clubs:
The Dodgers lead the NL West at 20–11, benefiting from a balanced schedule and consistent performance against both contenders and rebuilding teams.
The Cardinals, at 18–13, sit third in a competitive NL Central, trailing teams like Cincinnati and Milwaukee but firmly in contention.
Recent trends suggest:
Dodgers: steady, consistent, rarely dropping series, although they just dropped one to the Marlins
Cardinals: streaky, capable of both strong runs and uneven stretches
What to Watch
A few key dynamics will likely define the series opener:
Discipline vs. command: Dodgers hitters against Liberatore’s control issues
Platoon splits: Cardinals’ left-handed bats vs. Sheehan
Early innings: both pitchers have shown vulnerability in the first frame
Power production: Both teams rely on extra-base hits to drive their offense
If Liberatore can stay ahead in counts and limit damage, St. Louis has a path. If not, the Dodgers’ patient, powerful lineup could turn the game quickly.
For Sheehan, the formula is simpler: miss bats, limit walks, and avoid the early inning that has plagued him. If he does, Los Angeles holds the clear edge.
