Dodgers vs. Cardinals: How the NL division series opponents match up

The Dodgers have a big advantage on offense and with a rotation topped by the best pitcher in baseball, who will be available to start twice in the five-game series if needed.

Add in a deeper, more versatile bench and a bullpen that finally began to hit stride in September and the West winners look like the better team. The Cardinals rotation will keep these games close, though, and given the Dodgers’ shaky defense that could help St. Louis, which has won 33 one-run games.

Prediction: Dodgers in five

Here’s a look at how the teams match up, from lineups, to rotations, bullpens and benches:

CARDINALS LINEUP

POS., PLAYER | AVG. | HR | RBIs | COMMENT

3B Matt Carpenter | .272 | 8 | 59 | Saw more pitches (3,101) than any player in NL

RF Randal Grichuk | .245 | 3 | 8 | Rookie hitting .318 since last call-up Aug. 26

LF Matt Holliday | .272 | 20 | 90 | Leads majors with 23 game-winning RBIs

SS Jhonny Peralta | .263 | 21 | 75 | 2nd among NL shortstops with 21 HRs, 98 DPs turned

1B Matt Adams | .288 | 15 | 68 | Batting .190 vs. LHP and .217 against Dodgers in 2014

C Yadier Molina | .282 | 7 | 38 | Cards’ ERA nearly a run a game better when he catches

CF Jon Jay | .303 | 3 | 41 | Has been hit by a pitch an MLB-high 20 times

2B Pete Kozma | .304 | 0 | 0 | Hitting .300 since late recall from minors

P Adam Wainwright | .181 | 0 | 6 | Has made just seven errors in 280 big league games

DODGERS LINEUP

POS., PLAYERS | AVG. | HR | RBIs | COMMENT

2B Dee Gordon | .289 | 3 | 34 | 64 steals led MLB; second in NL with 12 errors at 2B

CF Yasiel Puig | .296 | 16 | 69 | Topped team with 67 walks; led NL with 15 OF assists

1B Adrian Gonzalez | .276 | 27 | 116 | RBI leader’s average jumped 64 points in second half

RF Matt Kemp | .287 | 25 | 89 | No one in MLB had more HRs (9), RBIs (25) in Sept.

SS Hanley Ramirez | .283 | 13 | 71 | Batting .396 hitting fifth in the Dodgers’ lineup

LF Carl Crawford | .300 | 8 | 41 | Hitting .421 since Aug. 10; batting .321 overall vs. LHP

3B Juan Uribe | .311 | 9 | 54 | Spent 46 games on DL; hitting .378 since return Aug. 31

C A.J. Ellis | .191 | 3 | 25 | Has lowest catcher ERA in majors (3.31) since 2008

P Clayton Kershaw | .175 | 0 | 3 | Had first career triple and first steal this season

Opposites attract: All the numbers swing heavily in favor of the Dodgers, who led the majors in batting (.295), runs per game (6.24) and home runs (35) in September and boast baseball’s RBI leader in Adrian Gonzalez. Only Colorado, among NL teams, outhit or outscored them during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Cardinals struggled all year for offense — especially power, hitting a league-low 105 homers during the regular season and getting shut out 12 times. Plus Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon has stolen more bases by himself (64) than the Cardinals swiped as a team (57).¿

STARTING ROTATIONS

ST. LOUIS PITCHERS | W-L | ERA | COMMENT

Adam Wainwright | 20-9 | 2.38 | Cardinals ace is 4-6 against L.A., 1-4 at Dodger Stadium

Lance Lynn | 15-10 | 2.74 | Team lost Lynn’s last four starts despite 2.33 ERA over that span

Shelby Miller | 10-9 | 3.74 | Gave up two or fewer runs in eight of last 12 starts

John Lackey | 3-3 | 4.30 | Ex-Angel’s 4.43 September ERA leaves playoff start in doubt

DODGERS PITCHERS | W-L | ERA |C OMMENT

Clayton Kershaw | 21-3 | 1.77 | 18-1, 1.69 ERA in last 21 starts, and a win over St. Louis

Zack Greinke | 17-8 | 2.71 | Hasn’t lost since Aug. 9 on way to a career high in victories

Hyun-Jin Ryu | 14-7 | 3.38 |Shoulder an issue for Ryu, who last started Sept. 12

Dan Haren | 13-11 | 4.02 | Opponents hit .176 against him in season’s final month

Not bad for starters: Kershaw erased the memories of his National League Championship Series loss to the Cardinals last fall with one of the most spectacular seasons in club history, leading the majors in victories (21), ERA (1.77) and WHIP (0.86). With Greinke winning a career-best 17 games and Ryu winning 14 between stints on the, disabled list, the Dodgers rotation led the majors with 76 victories. The Cardinals had a major league-best 23 shutouts. Both teams have questions, with Ryu’s shoulder a problem for L.A. and St. Louis unsettled on a fourth starter.

CARDINALS BULLPEN

RELIEVERS | W-L-S | ERA | COMMENT

Trevor Rosenthal | 2-6-45 | 3.20 | Closer has a win, 6 saves, 0.87 ERA since Aug. 26

Carlos Martinez | 2-4-1 | 4.03 | Has 0.49 ERA in 17 appearances since Aug. 21

Seth Maness | 6-4-3 | 2.91 | Gave up runs in just 2 of last 26 games

Pat Neshek | 7-2-6 | 1.87 | Has a .183 OBA and 0.79 WHIP in 71 games

Michael Wacha | 5-6-0 | 3.20 | Was 0-1, 5.40 in 4 starts since returning from the DL

Sam Freeman | 2-0-0 | 2.61 | Lefty holding right-handers to .195 OBA

Randy Choate | 2-2-0 | 4.50 | Lefties hitting .093 against him in 75 at-bats

DODGERS BULLPEN

RELIEVERS | W-L-S | ERA | COMMENT

Kenley Jansen | 2-3-44 | 2.76 | Is 24-2 in save situations since June 21

J.P. Howell | 3-3-0 | 2.39 | Allowed just 12 hits in 37 games at Dodger Stadium

Brian Wilson | 2-4-1 | 4.66 | Gave up a run in just one of last 14 appearances

Scott Elbert | 1-0-0 | 2.08 | Could take roster spot from Paco Rodriguez as lefty specialist

Brandon League | 2-3-0 | 2.57 | Hasn’t allowed a homer in 72 games dating to last season

Jamey Wright| 5-4-1 | 4.35 | Right-hander will likely be the long man, if needed

Pedro Baez | 0-0 | 2.63 | Could lose spot to versatile Frias after poor game Sunday

Seeking relief: Behind Rosenthal (45), the Cardinals led the majors with 55 saves. But they also blew 17 chances, three more than the Dodgers. St. Louis has some hard throwers in front of Rosenthal, with Neshek, who had 25 holds and seven wins in 71 games, the normal setup guy. Jansen had 44 saves for the Dodgers, pitching primarily behind Howell and Wilson. Brandon League also emerged as a valuable bridge between the starter and the back of the bullpen. The Dodgers have tough calls to make on a second lefty (Paco Rodriguez or Scott Elbert?) and a middle-inning guy (Pedro Baez or Carlos Frias?).

CARDINALS BENCH

POS., PLAYER | AVG. | HR | RBIs | COMMENT

OF Peter Bourjos | .231 | 4 | 24 | Speedy former Angel is a spectacular outfielder

INF Kolten Wong | .249 | 12 | 42 | Leads team with 20 SB; sits vs. LHP despite .315 average

INF Mark Ellis | .180 | 0 | 12 | Ex-Dodger’s could cost him roster spot

C A.J. Pierzynski | .244 | 1 | 6 | Veteran catcher won’t see much action behind Molina

INF Daniel Descalso | .242 | 0 | 10 | Solid utilityman played all 4 infield positions in 2014

OF Oscar Taveras | .239 | 3 | 22 | Gives Cards 4 lefty bench bats vs. RHP-heavy LA ‘pen

DODGERS BENCH

POS., PLAYERS | AVG. | HR | RBIs | COMMENT

OF Andre Ethier | .249 | 4 | 42 | Plays all 3 OF spots; hit .222 in limited action in Sept.

C Drew Butera.188 | 3 | 14 | Backup catcher did not make an error in 445 innings

INF Justin Turner | .340 | 7 | 43 | Versatile INF hit .400 as a pinch-hitter, .341 as starter

OF Scott Van Slyke | .297 | 11 | 29 | Had Dodgers’ only pinch-hit home run in 2014

INF Miguel Rojas | .181 | 1 | 9 | Slick infielder is primarily a defensive replacement

INF Darwin Barney | .303 | 1 | 7 | Could win roster spot after hitting .400 in September

Subs could sink Cardinals: The Dodgers have a big advantage on the bench with the versatile Turner fielding and hitting well, Van Slyke providing right-handed power and Ethier, who can play all three outfield positions, available as a left-handed pinch-hitter. If the Dodgers go with seven relievers, that could create a bench spot for Barney. Wong, who leads his team with 20 steals, figures to start against right-handers for St. Louis, weakening the Cardinals bench even more. Bourjos is an outstanding fielder and baserunner but has struggled with the bat, and Descalso is primarily a late-inning defensive replacement.