NL Wild Card Game Thread: Cardinals at Dodgers

The AL Wild Card Game is settled, with the Boston Red Sox defeating the New York Yankees last night. The Sox will move on to play the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.

Wednesday brings the NL Wild Card Game, between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Dodger Stadium. The winner tonight will play the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS.

Both teams have ace starters on the mound. For St. Louis it’s Adam Wainwright, who turned 40 in August but had another fantastic season, topping 200 innings with an excellent 3.05 ERA and 3.66 FIP. He faced the Dodgers once this year and beat them, pitching into the 9th inning and allowing four runs.

Los Angeles turns to Max Scherzer, the likely NL Cy Young. He had another phenomenal campaign, with a 2.46 ERA and 2.97 FIP, and he was at his best after being acquired from the Washington Nationals in July — in 11 starts for the Dodgers, he posted a ridiculous 1.98 ERA and 1.96 FIP. He faced the Cards twice this summer and never allowed an earned run, tossing six scoreless as a member of the Nats in April, then eight innings with one unearned run and 13 strikeouts as a Dodger in September.

Cardinals lineup (away)

1. 2B Tommy Edman (S)
2. 1B Paul Goldschmidt (R)
3. LF Tyler O’Neill (R)
4. 3B Nolan Arenado (R)
5. RF Dylan Carlson (S)
6. C Yadier Molina (R)
7. SS Edmundo Sosa (R)
8. CF Harrison Bader (R)
9. RHP Adam Wainwright (R)

Lots of right-handed batters against a righty pitcher.

Dodgers lineup (home)

1. RF Mookie Betts (R)
2. SS Corey Seager (L)
3. 2B Trea Turner (R)
4. 3B Justin Turner (R)
5. C Will Smith (R)
6. LF A.J. Pollock (R)
7. 1B Matt Beaty (L)
8. CF Cody Bellinger (L)
9. RHP Max Scherzer (R)

No Max Muncy, out with an injury.

How To Watch

• Date: Wednesday, October 6
• Time: 5:10 p.m. PT
• TV (local): TBS