The St. Louis Cardinals travel to UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, September 2, with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 PM ET. The Cardinals send a lineup headlined by Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker, and Iván Herrera into one of the most hostile environments in the National League, facing Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound for Los Angeles. With the regular season winding toward its final month, every game in a series like this carries real weight in the standings picture.

Cardinals Pitching Assignment for Wednesday's Game

The Cardinals have not confirmed a starting pitcher for Wednesday's contest. That's a notable question mark heading into a road start against one of the most formidable offenses in baseball. Whoever St. Louis hands the ball to will need to navigate a Dodgers lineup that runs nine deep without a soft spot — a tall order against a Los Angeles club that has the firepower to punish any mistakes early.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Starts for Los Angeles

On the other side, the Dodgers send Yamamoto to the hill. The right-hander has been one of the marquee arms in the National League since arriving from Japan, and facing him on the road, late at night, is not a favorable situation. The Cardinals' lineup will need disciplined at-bats and a willingness to work deep into counts to have any chance of generating traffic against him.

Keys to Watch for the Cardinals

• Bryan Torres sets the table: Torres leads off for St. Louis and his ability to get on base against Yamamoto will be critical. If the Cardinals are going to manufacture runs, it starts with Torres reaching and creating pressure at the top of the order.
• Iván Herrera's bat in the two-hole: Herrera batting second reflects the trust the Cardinals have placed in the young catcher. How he handles Yamamoto's arsenal will be telling for the night's offensive outlook.
• Jordan Walker vs. a right-hander: Walker slots into the cleanup spot and his production against quality right-handed pitching will be one of the biggest factors in whether St. Louis can put a number on the board against Yamamoto.
• Surviving Ohtani and Freeman: Whatever Cardinals arm takes the mound must navigate Shohei Ohtani leading off for Los Angeles, followed by Tommy Edman, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman in the heart of the order. Keeping the ball in the park is the baseline requirement.
• Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández in the middle third: The Dodgers don't let up after the cleanup spot. Tucker in right and Hernández in left give Los Angeles dangerous options in the six and seven holes that can extend innings and blow games open.

Prediction

This is a difficult assignment for the Cardinals. Facing Yamamoto on the road with a starting pitcher still to be named is a combination that tilts the odds toward Los Angeles. The Dodgers lineup is constructed to punish pitchers who miss their spots, and Ohtani through Freeman represents as dangerous a four-batter sequence as exists in the league. St. Louis will need a strong outing from whoever takes the ball and timely hitting from Walker and Burleson to stay in it. Expect a competitive game, but give the edge to Los Angeles. Dodgers 5, Cardinals 2.

Coverage is available on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 and on KMOX 1120 AM and 104.1 FM for Cardinals fans tuning in from St. Louis.