It’s time to dive into another big game as the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Cleveland Guardians. We’ve got a solid matchup for you today as the Cardinals’ lefty Matthew Liberatore steps up to the mound against Cleveland’s own Shane Bieber.

Taking a quick look at Liberator, his 6.10 xFIP over the last 30 days might have you raising your eyebrows, but hold on. This is where things get interesting. Despite his high xFIP, he’s managed to hold his own against batters. With only 27 batters faced recently, it’s just a small sample size.

On the other side of the field, we’ve got Bieber, a Cy Young-caliber pitcher who’s been underperforming recently. Over the past 30 days, he’s clocked in a 4.45 xFIP and a K rate of less than 20%. The real kicker? Lefties have been hitting hard against him, with a weighted on-base percentage of .408 and an ISO power number of .238.

This could be a golden opportunity for the Cardinals’ heavy hitters with elevated power numbers against right-handed pitching. Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Gorman, Paul DeJong, and Tommy Edman could all stand to benefit from Bieber’s recent woes. If you’re looking for lefties with the potential to make an impact today, keep your eyes on Gorman, Brendan Donovan, Edman, and Alec Burleson.

While the Cardinals have had a rocky 2023 season so far, there’s still time for them to find their stride. Could today’s game against Bieber be the push they need to kick it into high gear?