Dodgers Face Cardinals Amid Offensive Woes as Roki Sasaki Takes the Mound

Key facts

• Dodgers lost Friday's series opener 7-2 to the Cardinals.
• Los Angeles is 5-8 in its last 13 games and has lost three in a row.
• Cardinals have won five straight games after sweeping the Pirates.
• Roki Sasaki (1-2, 6.35 ERA) starts for the Dodgers on Saturday.
• Michael McGreevy (1-2, 2.97 ERA) starts for the Cardinals.
• Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell is close to making his season debut.
• Freddie Freeman has gone 19 consecutive games without a home run.
• Mookie Betts remains sidelined with an oblique injury.

Dodgers' Offense Stalls as Cardinals Surge

The Los Angeles Dodgers arrived in St. Louis as the defending World Series champions with a 20-11 record, but their recent form tells a different story. Friday night's 7-2 loss to the Cardinals extended the team's losing streak to three games and dropped them to 5-8 over their last 13 contests. The offense, which managed only eight total runs in a three-game series against the Miami Marlins earlier this week, has become a growing concern. St. Louis, meanwhile, has won five straight games, including a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates that featured a statement win over ace Paul Skenes. The Cardinals' lineup produced 12 hits on Friday after racking up 14 in Thursday's victory at Pittsburgh. Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson each homered in the series opener, while Jordan Walker collected four hits and drove in two runs.

Sasaki Seeks Consistency as Rotation Pressure Mounts

All eyes will be on right-hander Roki Sasaki when he takes the mound for the Dodgers on Saturday. The 23-year-old is 1-2 with a 6.35 ERA this season and has never faced the Cardinals. He earned his first win of the season last Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, but the outing was far from dominant: he allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings, with a season-low one walk. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts defended Sasaki's performance, saying, "I don't think the line does it justice." Roberts noted that Sasaki and pitching coaches Connor McGuiness and Mark Prior had been working on adding velocity to his pitches. "It simulates a fastball more versus some type of off-speed pitch. Good stuff to build off of," Roberts added.

Snell's Return Looms Over Rotation Decisions

The Dodgers' pitching staff is about to get a boost: left-hander Blake Snell is close to making his season debut. When he returns, one of the current six starters will have to step aside. The Dodgers have remained committed to Sasaki as a starter despite his rocky spring training, but the competition for rotation spots is intensifying. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who began the season as a swing man, has become one of the team's steadiest pitchers since entering the rotation. His performance adds another layer of complexity to the roster decisions that lie ahead.

Cardinals' McGreevy Looks to Build on Strong Outing

St. Louis will send right-hander Michael McGreevy to the mound on Saturday. McGreevy is 1-2 with a 2.97 ERA this season and is coming off a no-decision against the Seattle Mariners in which he allowed just one run on five hits over six innings with no walks and six strikeouts. That outing matched his season high in innings and came at a time when the bullpen was taxed from prior usage. "It's that extra thing where you get to think about helping the team even more than just performing well," McGreevy said. "You don't go into it thinking, 'I need to go deep here,' because you don't want to make the game bigger than it is. But to be able to do that with the bullpen being short-handed is awesome." McGreevy's lone start against the Dodgers came on June 8, 2025, when he gave up four runs over six innings and took the loss in a 7-3 game.

Injuries and Slumps Plague Dodgers' Lineup

The Dodgers' offensive struggles have been compounded by key injuries and slumps. Mookie Betts remains sidelined with an oblique injury, and Freddie Freeman has gone 19 consecutive games without a home run. Shohei Ohtani has shown signs of life with seven hits and six walks over his last four games, but the lineup as a whole has been inconsistent. Despite their recent slide, the Dodgers still hold a 20-11 record, thanks largely to their pitching staff. But with Snell's return imminent and the offense sputtering, the margin for error is shrinking. Saturday's game features one of the less experienced starters in the Dodgers' rotation, which could give St. Louis another opportunity to put runs on the board early and build on its recent success at home.

Cardinals Riding Momentum at Busch Stadium

The Cardinals enter Saturday's game with a wave of momentum, having won five straight. Rookie JJ Wetherholt led off Thursday's game against the Pirates with a home run, his seventh in just 31 career contests, and Jordan Walker also went deep in the first inning. St. Louis is 10-5 over its last 15 games and will look to carry that energy into a home series against the defending champions. The Cardinals' bullpen has been taxed recently, but McGreevy's ability to pitch deep into games could provide some relief. St. Louis has shown it can score runs in bunches, and against a Dodgers team that is struggling offensively, the Cardinals have a chance to extend their winning streak.

Stakes High for Both Teams as Series Continues

For the Dodgers, Saturday's game is an opportunity to halt a three-game skid and regain some offensive rhythm before Snell's return reshapes the rotation. For the Cardinals, it is a chance to prove that their recent surge is sustainable against one of the league's top teams. The matchup also carries implications for the NL West and NL Central standings, though it is still early in the season. The Dodgers have relied heavily on their pitching staff to stay afloat, but with the offense in a funk, every start from the rotation becomes critical. Sasaki, in particular, needs to show he can be a reliable option as the team navigates the weeks ahead.

The bottom line

• The Dodgers have lost three straight and are 5-8 in their last 13 games, with an offense that scored only eight runs in a three-game series against the Marlins.
• Roki Sasaki (1-2, 6.35 ERA) starts for Los Angeles on Saturday, coming off a win in which he allowed four runs on seven hits.
• Blake Snell is close to making his season debut, which will force the Dodgers to remove one starter from the rotation.
• The Cardinals have won five straight games, including a sweep of the Pirates, and are 10-5 over their last 15.
• Michael McGreevy (1-2, 2.97 ERA) starts for St. Louis; he allowed one run over six innings in his last start.
• Freddie Freeman has not homered in 19 games, and Mookie Betts is out with an oblique injury.