The Cardinals open the 2024 season Thursday with a road game against the loaded Los Angeles Dodgers, the favorites to win the World Series.
First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. (St. Louis time).
Right-hander Miles Mikolas (9-13, 4.78 ERA last season) will take the mound for the Cardinals.
Mikolas pitched the opener last season vs. Toronto, giving up five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. He didn't figure into the decision. He also gave up five earned runs in his only other opening day start, in 2019 at Milwaukee.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman has pummeled Mikolas in the past, putting up a 1.352 OPS in 14 plate appearances. In his last four plate appearances vs. Mikolas, Freeman has a single, double and a home run.
The Cardinals' opening day lineup features four players age 23 or younger (Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, Masyn Winn) for the first time since .
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The Dodgers, who spent more than $1 billion this past offseason will send one of those big-ticket signees to the mound in right-hander Tyler Glasnow (0-0, 3.60 ERA in one regular-season game this year).
Glasnow started the Dodgers' opener in Seoul last week, allowing two hits and two runs in five innings. Los Angeles is 1-1, having opened with a split vs. the Padres last week in South Korea.
Against the Cardinals, Glasnow is 0-2 with a 2.45 ERA in his career.
Glasnow's slider is his best pitch, and Jordan Walker was the Cardinals' best hitter vs. sliders last season, according to .
Baseball Prospectus' have the Dodgers winning 100 games and taking the NL West with ease.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Brendan Donovan, LF
2. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
3. Nolan Gorman, 2B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Willson Contreras, C
6. Alec Burleson, DH
7. Jordan Walker, RF
8. Victor Scott II, CF
9. Masyn Winn, SS
P: Miles Mikolas
DODGERS
1. Mookie Betts, SS
2. Shohei Ohtani, DH
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Will Smith, C
5. Max Muncy, 3B
6. Teoscar Hernández, LF
7. James Outman, CF
8. Jason Heyward, RF
9. Gavin Lux, 2B
P: Tyler Glasnow
Injury report
Sonny Gray (hamstring): On the 15-day injured list, Gray is set to throw a minor-league game in Jupiter, Florida, on Thursday while the Cardinals open in LA. His goal will be to get at least four innings and prepare himself for his next start to be on a rehab assignment with one of the Cardinals’ minor-league affiliates. Gray injured his hamstring in the first week of March. He is expected to join the rotation during the first home stand.
Lars Nootbaar (fractured ribs): On the 10-day IL, Nootbaar advanced to swinging against coach pitch and has made strides with his recovery. He could see pitching in a game-like situation by this weekend and be on his way to a minor-league affiliate for a rehab assignment. The Cardinals will determine his readiness to join the team for the first home series of the season based on his feel at the plate and his comfort taking game-speed swings and rotation of his torso. Nootbaar injured the ribs during a crash into the wall midway through spring training.
Dylan Carlson (sprained shoulder): On 10-day IL, Carlson returned to St. Louis for additional exams to determine the degree of separation and damage in his left shoulder. During Monday’s exhibition game against the Cubs, Carlson sustained an AC joint sprain during a collision with teammate Jordan Walker. The Cardinals were initially encouraged that he’ll miss “a matter of weeks, not months.â€
Keynan Middleton (forearm strain): On the 15-day IL, Middleton has continued a throwing program that will put him off the mound around April 5. He is building strength after having to stop throwing late in spring training. He’ll have some bullpen sessions before advancing to a live batting practice with minor-leaguers in Jupiter. Within a week of testing his arm against hitters, he could be on a rehab assignment and headed toward the majors.
Tommy Edman (wrist surgery): On the 10-day IL, the switch-hitting utility fielder has had his program slowed significantly after several setbacks during spring training. Edman had wrist surgery in October, but during spring training was unable to get deep into the hitting program because of recurring discomfort in the surgically repaired left wrist. He has been taking light swings but has not made strides toward a game appearance. The Cardinals do not believe that his absence will be 60 days into the season, as evidenced by them not placing him on the 60-day IL to start the year.
Drew Rom (biceps tendinitis): On the 15-day IL, Rom experienced the soreness in his left arm shortly before the end of spring training. He was able to resume playing catch and throwing at a distance before the team left Florida. He’ll be on a throwing program to rebuild arm strength and ready for a likely assignment to Class AAA Memphis’ rotation.
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