MLB matchup analysis

Cardinals vs Rockies Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Sunday, September 6, 2026 at Coors Field · 3:10 PM ET

Pass

LyDia decision: Pass on Cardinals vs Rockies

Lab Rating
5.8/10
Model lean
Cardinals 71.8%
Market probability
55.1%
Model edge
+16.7%
Best moneyline
-127
Sportsbooks checked
9
LyDia model
71.8%
Market
55.1%

The case for St. Louis Cardinals

Starting pitcher edge: 16 points
LyDia gives Kyle Leahy a 16-point edge over Tanner Gordon, driven mainly by HR/9 (0.90 vs 1.73) and ERA (3.13 vs 5.18).

The case for Colorado Rockies

Late-inning bullpen advantage
St. Louis Cardinals relievers have a 6.35 ERA over the last 7 days; Colorado Rockies relievers have a 3.16. St. Louis Cardinals also have 9 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.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 5.8/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 10.0/10
The St. Louis Cardinals bullpen comes in high risk. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 8.39/10
LyDia's win probability for St. Louis Cardinals (71.8%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 26.67/40
Kyle Leahy rates 70 on LyDia's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Offense: 23.02/50
St. Louis Cardinals's recent form does not clearly outpace Colorado Rockies's.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 51.0%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, LyDia's team-strength model alone makes St. Louis Cardinals 51.0% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 16 points
The pitcher-score gap favors St. Louis Cardinals by 16 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: -0.063
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: 51.0% -> 71.8%
Team strength alone had St. Louis Cardinals at 51.0%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 71.8% -- 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
DateSunday, September 6, 2026
First pitch3:10 PM ET
VenueCoors Field
Starting pitchersKyle Leahy vs Tanner Gordon
WeatherGame-time forecast: 89°F, 0% precipitation chance, 6 mph wind from E.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Kyle LeahyCardinals · RHP
vs
Tanner GordonRockies · RHP
MetricCardinalsRockies
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings55
ThrowsRR
LyDia pitcher score (higher is better)7054
ERA (lower is better)3.135.18
WHIP (lower is better)1.311.40
K/9 (higher is better)8.27.3
K-BB% (higher is better)14.7%14.6%
K% (higher is better)21.7%18.8%
BB% (lower is better)7.0%4.2%
BB/9 (lower is better)2.61.6
HR/9 (lower is better)0.91.7
Ground-ball rate52.8%37.8%
Fly-ball rate47.2%62.2%

Pitcher edge: LyDia gives Kyle Leahy a 16-point edge over Tanner Gordon, driven mainly by HR/9 (0.90 vs 1.73) and ERA (3.13 vs 5.18).

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

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Kyle Leahy strikeouts
5.2 LyDia projected Ks
Qualifying projection: OVER 2.5K · +2.7K difference
Market 2.5K · O -128 / U +107 · 5 books
Tanner Gordon strikeouts
4.2 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · +0.7K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 3.5K · O -167 / U +132 · 5 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 5.3 runs per game over the last 15 days; Rockies are 4-6 in their last 10 and averaging 4.2 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Cardinals carry the better run differential per game (-0.08 against -0.97).

MetricCardinalsRockies
Last 105-54-6
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)4-6 on the road3-7 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.7270.747
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3170.330
Runs per game, last 15 days5.34.2
K% last 15 days (lower is better)23.5%22.4%

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
OPS0.737 (+0.035 vs szn)0.724 (-0.016 vs szn)
Runs per game5.29 (+0.761 vs szn)4.33 (-0.392 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.324 (+0.013 vs szn)0.321
K% (lower is better)22.1% (+1.3% vs szn)22.1% (-0.5% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Cardinals have been the better offense, 0.324 wOBA to 0.321. They are running hot against their own season line (+0.013 wOBA).

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricCardinalsRockies
Record71-7255-87
Run differential / game (team quality)-0.08-0.97
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.524.73
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)4.605.70
Season OPS0.7020.740
K% season (lower is better)20.8%22.7%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.6960.757

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
2.9 Struggling
Rockies
Combined risk
7.9 Tired
Fatigue
8.2 High risk
Efficiency
5.7 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 risk8.2/10, High risk
Efficiency2.9/10, Struggling5.7/10, Effective
Combined risk10.0/10, High risk7.9/10, Tired
Relief innings, last 7 days28.325.7
Back-to-back arms95
7-day ERA6.353.16
7-day WHIP1.841.25

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
9.8
Market total
11.0
Projected away runs
4.9
Projected home runs
4.2
Over price
-107
Under price
-105
St. Louis Cardinals team total
4.9 projected
Line 5.5 · O -125 / U +110
No team-total lean
Colorado Rockies team total
4.2 projected
Line 4.5 · O -140 / U +114
No team-total lean

The model projects 1.2 runs below the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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