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St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Angels

By Bush StaffUpdated 32d ago·2 min read
St. Louis CardinalsSTL(51-48)
Los Angeles AngelsLAA(40-61)
1—5
FINAL
123456789RHE
STL
000010000170
LAA
50000000—5100

First pitch is set for 6:38 PM PT, with Matthew Liberatore (5-6, 5.00 ERA) trying to build off his best start of the year against Walbert Ureña (5-7, 2.88), who's quietly been one of the steadier arms in a battered Angels rotation.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Cardinals(51-48)
LLLWL
1
Angels(40-61)
WWLLL
5
Best BetCardinals -114
Pregame

The Cardinals are sitting at basically even money against a team with the worst record in their division, which is a gift given the talent gap. St. Louis just got embarrassed by a walk-off Monday, but a 51-48 club with an All-Star closer shouldn't be a coin flip against a 40-61 group missing half its regulars.

The Angels are patching together a roster missing half their infield and both projected catchers, yet they still found a way to beat St. Louis on Monday. Jo Adell snapped an 0-for-24 skid with a homer, then drew the bases-loaded hit-by-pitch that ended it in the ninth, with Nolan Schanuel setting the table with the tying knock. It's scrappy, nothing-to-lose baseball that's kept this series closer than the records suggest.

St. Louis Cardinals
Matthew Liberatore
(5-8)·4.97 ERA
Jul 11 vs Braves
W
6.0IP
0ER
6K
1BB
71P
07/21 Lineup
Los Angeles Angels
Walbert Ureña
(7-7)·2.54 ERA
Jul 8 @ Rangers
ND
4.0IP
0ER
3K
5BB
90P
07/21 Lineup

For the Cardinals, this is about answering a rough week. St. Louis has dropped 4 of its last 5, and Monday's collapse came with All-Star closer Riley O'Brien's name attached to real trade rumors as the deadline closes in — the kind of backdrop that can rattle a clubhouse if it doesn't get cleaned up fast.

St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
(51-48)
Jul 21L@ Angels2-3
Jul 19L@ Diamondbacks7-8
Jul 18L@ Diamondbacks3-5
Jul 18W@ Diamondbacks5-4
Jul 12Lvs Braves3-4
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels
(40-61)
Jul 21Wvs Cardinals3-2
Jul 19Wvs Tigers3-2
Jul 19Lvs Tigers0-7
Jul 18Lvs Tigers1-2
Jul 12L@ Twins2-4

Liberatore's last time out was arguably his best of the season — 6 shutout innings against Atlanta on just 71 pitches — a sign the lefty may finally be trending the right direction after a season-long ERA that's ballooned to 5.00. Ureña's more of a mixed bag: he tossed 4 scoreless innings his last time out against Texas but walked 5 batters doing it, the kind of control hiccup that can turn into a crooked number against a lineup that's actually hitting.

St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
(3)
  • 15-Day-ILJoJo Romero (RP) — The Cardinals do not expect Romero (appendicitis) to be ready for activation from the 15-day injured list when first eligible, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.07/19
  • 60-Day-ILMax Rajcic (RP) — The Cardinals transferred Rajcic (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.07/07
  • 60-Day-ILRamon Urias (3B) — Urias (elbow) returned to St. Louis to undergo an examination on his left elbow, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.06/12
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels
(9)
  • 10-Day-ILAdam Frazier (2B) — Frazier (elbow) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.07/20
  • 10-Day-ILSebastian Rivero (C) — Rivero (hand) has been catching at the Angels' spring complex in Arizona, MLB.com reports.07/12
  • 60-Day-ILTravis d'Arnaud (C) — D'Arnaud (foot) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.07/17
  • 60-Day-ILBen Joyce (RP) — Joyce (shoulder) averaged 100.2 mph with his fastball in a one-inning rehab appearance in the Arizona Complex League on Thursday, Taylor Blake Ward of TheSportingTribune.com reports.07/17
  • 60-Day-ILYusei Kikuchi (SP) — Kikuchi (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Sunday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.07/05
  • 60-Day-ILJack Kochanowicz (SP) — Kochanowicz's Tommy John surgery on his right elbow was deemed "successful," per MLB.com.06/27
  • 60-Day-ILYoan Moncada (3B) — Moncada will require surgery on his right knee, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.06/09
  • 60-Day-ILRobert Stephenson (RP) — The Angels announced that Stephenson underwent ligament and flexor repair surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILAnthony Rendon (3B) — The Angels placed Rendon (hip) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

Neither roster is whole. The Cardinals are still without Ramon Urias and Max Rajcic for the year and JoJo Romero isn't walking through that bullpen door anytime soon, while the Angels are running out a lineup and pitching staff stripped down by season-ending surgeries for Anthony Rendon, Yoan Moncada and Robert Stephenson. Both sides are playing out the string in their own way — St. Louis for a playoff spot, LA for pride and evaluation — and that gap in stakes is exactly what makes Tuesday's rematch worth watching.

Sources

MLBSt. Louis CardinalsLos Angeles AngelsPolymarketKalshiMatthew LiberatoreWalbert Ureña