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.