MLB matchup analysis

Cardinals vs Rockies Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Saturday, September 5, 2026 at Coors Field · 8:10 PM ET

Pass

LyDia decision: Pass on Cardinals vs Rockies

Lab Rating
4.6/10
Model lean
Rockies 62.5%
Market probability
45.6%
Model edge
+16.9%
Best moneyline
+113
Sportsbooks checked
6
LyDia model
62.5%
Market
45.6%

The case for Colorado Rockies

Starting pitcher edge: 9 points
LyDia gives Mason Adams a 9-point edge over Matthew Liberatore, driven mainly by ERA (3.00 vs 5.41) and K/9 (10.0 vs 9.4).
Late-inning bullpen advantage
St. Louis Cardinals relievers have a 5.87 ERA over the last 7 days; Colorado Rockies relievers have a 2.36. St. Louis Cardinals also have 8 arms pitching on back-to-back days, against 5 for Colorado Rockies. If this is still close after six innings, that gap favors Colorado Rockies.

The case for St. Louis Cardinals

Team strength favors St. Louis Cardinals
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, LyDia's own team-strength model has St. Louis Cardinals ahead (51.3% to 41.3%). The pick still comes from Colorado Rockies once the pitcher and bullpen terms are applied.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 4.6/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 6.7/10
The Colorado Rockies bullpen comes in tired. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 3.74/10
LyDia leans toward Colorado Rockies, but not strongly enough to earn full conviction credit.
Pitching plan: 14.67/40
Mason Adams rates 61 on LyDia's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). Average or below by that measure, so it earns little or none of the available credit here -- independent of who the opponent is throwing.
Offense: 27.21/50
Colorado Rockies's recent offensive form clearly outpaces St. Louis Cardinals's over the tracked windows.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 41.3%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, LyDia's team-strength model alone makes Colorado Rockies 41.3% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 9 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Colorado Rockies by 9 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: +0.099
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward Colorado Rockies. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 41.3% -> 62.5%
Team strength alone had Colorado Rockies at 41.3%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 62.5% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict LyDia passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Game information

MatchupSt. Louis Cardinals at Colorado Rockies
DateSaturday, September 5, 2026
First pitch8:10 PM ET
VenueCoors Field
Starting pitchersMatthew Liberatore vs Mason Adams
WeatherGame-time forecast: 92°F, 1% precipitation chance, 5 mph wind from N.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Matthew LiberatoreCardinals · LHP
vs
Mason AdamsRockies · RHP
MetricCardinalsRockies
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings54⅔
ThrowsLR
LyDia pitcher score (higher is better)5261
ERA (lower is better)5.413.00
WHIP (lower is better)1.471.44
K/9 (higher is better)9.410.0
K-BB% (higher is better)16.0%13.2%
K% (higher is better)23.9%26.3%
BB% (lower is better)8.0%13.2%
BB/9 (lower is better)3.15.0
HR/9 (lower is better)1.72.0
Ground-ball rate39.2%33.3%
Fly-ball rate60.8%66.7%

Pitcher edge: LyDia gives Mason Adams a 9-point edge over Matthew Liberatore, driven mainly by ERA (3.00 vs 5.41) and K/9 (10.0 vs 9.4).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

6.3 LyDia projected Ks
Official pick: OVER 5.5K · +0.7K difference
Market 5.5K · O +115 / U -135 · 6 books
Mason Adams strikeouts
Not available LyDia projected Ks
Market 3.5K · O -113 / U -105 · 6 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Cardinals are 5-5 in their last 10 and averaging 5.2 runs per game over the last 15 days; Rockies are 4-6 in their last 10 and averaging 3.6 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Cardinals carry the better run differential per game (-0.06 against -1.00).

MetricCardinalsRockies
Last 105-54-6
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)5-5 on the road2-8 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.7110.732
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3110.324
Runs per game, last 15 days5.23.6
K% last 15 days (lower is better)23.6%23.1%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysCardinalsRockies
OPS0.728 (+0.027 vs szn)0.722 (-0.019 vs szn)
Runs per game5.22 (+0.715 vs szn)4.12 (-0.573 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.321 (+0.010 vs szn)0.319 (-0.006 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)21.8% (+1.1% vs szn)22.4%

Over the last 30 days the Cardinals have been the better offense, 0.321 wOBA to 0.319. They are running hot against their own season line (+0.010 wOBA).

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricCardinalsRockies
Record71-7154-87
Run differential / game (team quality)-0.06-1.00
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.514.69
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)4.565.69
Season OPS0.7010.741
K% season (lower is better)20.7%22.7%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.6920.705

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Cardinals and Rockies are highlighted.

Cardinals
Combined risk
10.0 High risk
Fatigue
10.0 High risk
Efficiency
3.4 Below average
Rockies
Combined risk
6.7 Tired
Fatigue
7.3 Tired
Efficiency
6.2 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricCardinalsRockies
Fatigue10.0/10, High risk7.3/10, Tired
Efficiency3.4/10, Below average6.2/10, Effective
Combined risk10.0/10, High risk6.7/10, Tired
Relief innings, last 7 days30.726.7
Back-to-back arms85
7-day ERA5.872.36
7-day WHIP1.731.24

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
LyDia projection
10.8
Market total
11.0
Projected away runs
5.2
Projected home runs
4.8
Over price
-107
Under price
-102
St. Louis Cardinals team total
5.2 projected
Line 5.5 · O -103 / U -110
No team-total lean
Colorado Rockies team total
4.8 projected
Line 4.5 · O -136 / U +113
No team-total lean

The model and market are close. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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