Jordan Walker’s hot July run elevates a puzzling Cardinals decision to sit him in a key series opener, stirring fan debate as St. Louis clings to a postseason push. Walker is batting .315 with a .797 OPS since July, leading the team’s July batting average and trailing only Willson Contreras in OPS, yet Oli Marmol benched him in favor of Lars Nootbaar. The club just capped back-to-back wins vs Dodgers and Cubs, but the move sparked backlash on X from supporters who view Walker as central to the youth movement and the club’s present or near-future success.

Meanwhile, the lineup battle highlights a broader theme: balancing immediate results with long-term development. Walker’s absence could ripple through fantasy rosters, particularly for managers relying on Cardinals outfield stability. As St. Louis remains 3.5 games out of the NL Wild Card, the Marmol decision becomes a talking point about how to evaluate upside versus current form in a pennant-race context.

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.

St. Louis faces a pivotal offseason with Mozeliak out and Chaim Bloom at the helm, and two lefty outfielders—Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson—emerge as prime trade chips. Burleson, the article argues, is the more sensible move because he could net a bigger return and, despite defensive limitations, he carries more offensive upside and clear DH potential. Nootbaar provides solid defense and a steady bat, but his ceiling may be lower in a sale scenario. Both are under team control into the late 2020s, giving Bloom flexibility to pursue a controllable starting pitcher to elevate the rotation. The overarching theme: leverage depth to reshape the outfield and sharpen STL’s rotation window.

With Bloom steering the offseason, a reshuffled outfield could unlock payroll flexibility and prospect capital to pursue a top pitching target. Burleson’s value stands out because a package built around him could fetch a high-end, controllable arm. The Cardinals’ plan appears to balance keeping Nootbaar’s defense and floor while exploring Burleson as a headline trade asset. The winter promises a busy stretch as STL weighs which asset moves best fit their long-term championship arc.

Ultimately, the piece frames a bittersweet but strategic path: use Burleson or Nootbaar to land a rotation boost and keep the rest of the pipeline intact. If Bloom executes, STL could pivot toward a more formidable 2025-26 window while maintaining enough depth to stay competitive during the transition.

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.

Three big home-run bets anchor a weekend MLB slate: Witt Jr. at +340, Burleson at +450, and Bernabel at +850. The board leans into favorable matchups, power-first scouting, and the upside of long-shot HR payouts for fantasy and betting angles.

Bobby Witt Jr. faces Bailey Ober, a hurler with a high homer rate, setting up a prime opportunity for Witt to chase his 17th of the season. Alec Burleson brings a Cardinals slugging edge (.453) into a favorable spot against Colin Rea and the Cubs. Warming Bernabel, Rockies rookie, is a classic buy-low at +850 after three homers in his first 12 MLB at-bats.

Odds snapshots, matchup nuances, and a reminder to manage risk highlight this weekend's edition. The trio offers a blend of proven power and ceiling upside, with the Rockies’ young infielder carrying the steepest profit potential if the stars align. As always, bet responsibly and enjoy the swing-heavy slate.