The St. Louis Cardinals face a depth test as Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Brendan Donovan are sidelined by injuries, leaving a playoff push stretched thin at 61–62. Offense has struggled, scoring just 15 runs over the last six games, including a home shutout against Colorado. With Contreras hobbling after a pitch hit to the foot, the team is weighing a quick return, potentially Sunday or Saturday as a pinch-hitter, while Contreras has shifted to first base this season to stay in the lineup.

Contreras is hitting .255 with a .787 OPS, 16 homers and 65 RBIs across 114 games, continuing to be a clubhouse voice even as he recovers. The Cardinals’ three injured stars underscore the need for reinforcements and smarter utilization of the depth chart as they remain in the postseason chase. They’ll head into a three-game set with the New York Yankees, hoping Contreras can return soon to stabilize the lineup and lift the offense when it matters most.

Bernabel’s walk-off single in the ninth capped a 4-3 win for Colorado over Los Angeles, snapping a 10-game skid against the Dodgers and boosting the Rockies to a four-game surge. Colorado sits 14-15 since the All-Star break, showing growth from a very young core while closing in on the league’s toughest competition.

The late rally began with Ezequiel Tovar’s bloop double and a misplay by Teoscar Hernández, then Bernabel delivered up the middle off Justin Wrobleski to seal it. Hunter Goodman spoke to the team’s learning curve and the joy of finally putting together clean baseball in pressure moments as the youngsters push the franchise forward.

LA, fresh off a sweep of San Diego, saw its title hopes tempered by a confident, rising Rockies club. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts emphasized that opponents will be treated as an equal, and the fielding depth in this game underscored both teams’ current trajectory as September approaches.

Ultimately, the moment underscored a rebuilt Colorado roster finding a pulse and a path toward sustainable competitiveness, with Bernabel and friends signaling a promising chapter for fantasy managers watching breakout candidates emerge late in the season.

Denver hosts a key late-season tilt as the Dodgers visit the Rockies at Coors Field. Emmet Sheehan will face Austin Gomber in a pitching duel that could swing fantasy rosters and betting slips alike. Los Angeles owns the better overall record (71-53) but is venturing into the altitude with a lineup that must stay disciplined against Colorado’s ballpark. The Rockies have momentum on their side, riding a four-game streak and tying a season-best 6-1 stretch over seven games, while Warming Bernabel delivered a dramatic bottom-of-the-ninth winner against LA in a recent showdown that underscored Colorado’s late-inning bite.

Odds skew toward the Dodgers, but the Rockies’ recent surge makes a case for a balanced approach: LA on the moneyline, Colorado to cover the +1.5, and a lean to the under 11 runs given Coors Field dynamics and two shaky starters. NBC Sports’ model leans into a Dodgers win but flags plenty of volatility given the ballpark and matchup quirks. Fantasy managers should monitor the bullpen usage and weather forecasts for a clearer read on who benefits most from the late-inning grind.

The clash features a notable pitcher-vs-batter edge at altitude, while Bernabel’s late heroics add a narrative lift for Rockies backers. This game feels like a true test of how far LA’s road resilience travels in a hitter-friendly environment, and whether Colorado can sustain its current run of form against a potent opponent. The betting market and projection tools suggest a tight, high-scoring environment, with a slight coaching tilt toward Dodgers’ bullpen management in the late innings.

Fantasy managers should weigh streaming options carefully: Emmet Sheehan’s solid season-to-date versus Coors field volatility, and Gomber’s rough-in-2025 numbers may temper upside for Rockies bats. Bernabel remains a sleeper if he earns extra at-bats or shares at-bats with Colorado’s shifting lineup, while Dodgers stacks should be considered with caution in this environment.

Dodgers bullpen woes loom as they completed a weekend sweep of the Padres but stumbled against the Rockies on Monday. With several relievers on rehab, the club leans on a potential late-game shift led by a call-up for Bobby Miller, should health delay return of the next pieces. Tanner Scott’s live-batting-practice update brings a spark of optimism, while Michael Kopech’s rehab looks uneven and may delay his impact. LA reportedly eyes Devin Williams on a one-year deal to re-establish relief value, a familiar Dodgers habit. Until health returns, the path to bullpen reliability remains tense and unsettled for fantasy managers navigating saves, holds, and bullpen win potential.

The Dodgers blew a 2-0 lead at Coors Field and fell 4-3 on a walk-off that wasn’t sealed until two late misplays by Teoscar Hernández. A private meeting followed between Mookie Betts and the club’s top brass, signaling a possible defensive shake-up: Betts back to right field with Alex Freeland or Miguel Rojas at shortstop. Hernández’s range in the vast Denver ballpark remains a concern even as he delivers offense (74 RBIs, 20 HR) and keeps the lineup potent. The loss snapped a trio of wins and the Dodgers’ edge in the division, and came against the Rockies, who sit well south of .500 but have taken two of three this series. Yoshinobu Yamamoto worked seven solid innings, while Coors Field exposed lapses that have frustrated Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman. The plan to adjust the infield, keep Hernández’s bat in the lineup, and manage the bullpen will be a talking point as the Dodgers prepare for a tougher stretch and a Padres showdown looming this weekend.