EightPitch: Saturday MLB DFS pivots center on a Diamondbacks-heavy slate with Arizona projected to carry the day—their top-billed bats look prime against Chase Dollander in Denver, while the Diamondbacks’ hefty run total supports a powerful stack alongside midrange to budget sleepers. Sonny Gray anchors a Thursday-to-Saturday plan with a favorable Yankees matchup in STL, while a budget-friendly Jason Alexander provides a high-floor punt option in Houston. Langeliers, Perdomo, Caminero, Marte and Gurriel headline the infield and outfield cores, with Altuve and Simpson stepping in for value and speed. Houston and Oakland stacks also offer strong leverage spots in this nine-game DK/FD slate, which kicks off at 7:10 PM ET, weather-safe aside from Tigers–Twins risk.

Chase Dollander returned from Triple-A Albuquerque to face the St. Louis Cardinals, delivering five innings of one-run ball with a four-pitch mix and sharp fastball command. He exited with Colorado trailing 1-0, but the Rockies finally tied it in the seventh, only to watch Miles Mikolas silences them for five frames before the bullpen implodes in a 3-2 defeat. Brendan Donovan delivered the pivotal eighth-inning two-run double for St. Louis, followed by Brenton Doyle’s two-out RBI single to push the lead. Colorado’s offense went quiet with runners in scoring position all night, extending what could become a historically painful stretch for the season.

The Rockies entered a brutal stretch, sitting at 30-88 and threatening the modern-era mark for losses. Dollander demonstrated enough command to warrant continued spot starts, but Mikolas, Donovan, and the late-game bullpen performance underscored the Cardinals’ ability to seize a game even when heavy traffic is limited. Colorado will attempt to rebound in Game 2 as the Cardinals look to capitalize on the momentum from a hard-fought series opener.

Three MLB bets headline Monday’s slate: Cardinals host Colorado with Miles Mikolas on the mound, while Chase Dollander faces the Red Birds in a card that skews toward STL’s run-line appeal. In the Boston-Houston matchup, Cristian Javier returns from Tommy John rehab for a playoff-hunting Astros squad, but Garrett Crochet has been a snapback, giving Boston a chance to keep things tight. The Pirates-Brewers clash projects more runs than a sleepy night would suggest, setting up three distinct fantasy angles: pitcher reliability, bullpen leverage, and timely offense.

Cardinals minus 1.5 looks solid given Colorado’s road woes and Mikolas’ recent form against a rebuilding lineup. Under 7.5 in Boston-Houston hinges on Javier’s readiness and Crochet’s bullpen dominance, while Over 8.5 in Milwaukee-Pittsburgh leans on Brewers’ recent scoring surge. These bets shape daily fantasy contours: target locked-in starters, hunt for cheap Cubs-like stacks in favorable matchups, and monitor bullpen setup for saves or holds.

Fantasy takeaway: lean Cardinals bats against Dollander’s early struggles, pick Astros power against a tempered Rockies lineup, and exploit Brewers’ bullpen depth for late innings. The slate rewards pitchers who command soft contact, catchers with runners, and versatile outfield stacks lighting up the scoreboard when leveraged correctly.

Colorado rides a seven-game slide into Monday’s opener against St. Louis, carrying MLB’s worst record and run differential as the Rockies turn to Chase Dollander after a recall from Triple-A. Dollander faces Miles Mikolas in a remade Cardinals rotation that’s nudging above .500 and remains alive in the NL wild-card race, though long-shot odds persist at top sportsbooks. This one shapes up as a high-leverage bounce-back test for both teams, with Colorado hoping youthful upside can blunt a homestand that’s produced little offense all season.

On the field, the Cardinals bring a seasoned arm in Mikolas to stifle a Rockies offense that’s struggled to manufacture runs, while Dollander’s return provides Colorado with a chance to quiet a lineup that’s benefited from late-inning depth. The matchup sets up as a run-friendly affair, especially given Colorado’s bullpen struggles and St. Louis’ ability to plate in bunches when their offense clicks. Fantasy managers will eye Burleson’s power upside in a favorable righty-on-righty scenario and the game’s potential for overs, given both starters’ season-long tendency to allow traffic.

The biggest prop of the night centers on Alec Burleson, listed at +360 to homer, a tempting play given his success against right-handed pitching and St. Louis’ willingness to ride hot hitters. The over/under sits at 8.5 with a slight lean to the Over, aligning with Dollander’s MLB-wide struggles and Mikolas’s consistent but not elite control this season. This game feels like a high-variance, high-reward target for fantasy and betting players alike, with Burleson leading the way for Cardinals value and the Rockies bullpen providing exploitable leverage for those chasing stacked innings.

Colorado rendezvous with St. Louis on August 11, 2025, with Chase Dollander back in the Rockies rotation after a month in Albuquerque, facing Miles Mikolas for the Cardinals. St. Louis rides momentum from recent wins over the Dodgers and Cubs, powered by Sonny Gray's seven innings of two‑run ball and Pedro Pages' clutch third‑inning homer. Colorado has dropped seven straight, crushed by Arizona and Toronto in a brutal stretch, while the under has largely hit in Rockies games this month. This matchup blends the rookie recall angle with veteran back end performances and a low total that invites careful DFS and bet considerations.

The lines favor the Cardinals (-221) over the Rockies (+182) with a 8.0 run total. Expect a carefully contested game where St. Louis leans on a patient, efficient attack, and Colorado looks for a spark from Doyle and Montes to avoid another setback. Willson Contreras and Alec Burleson provide punch for the Cards, while Coco Montes and Brenton Doyle offer breakout upside for Colorado in this high‑leverage spot. A tense, potentially low‑scoring affair could hinge on one swing or a bullpen shuffle late.

Key angles: Dollander's recall narrative versus Mikolas's ability to steady after rough outings; Doyle's five‑game hit streak for Colorado; Contreras' ongoing hot streak for St. Louis; a tournament‑style under narrative that has shaded Rockies games recently. For fantasy and betting, monitor weather, bullpen usage, and lineup shifts as this game unfolds—rotation matchups and late‑inning leverage could tilt the outcome despite the lukewarm season totals for Colorado.