The tension inside Busch Stadium was electric, like something out of a postseason thriller. However, this was just June, not October. The Cardinals, identified as the underdog for most of the season, came toe-to-toe with the powerhouse Dodgers in a weekend showdown that felt anything but ordinary.

It was not just Nolan Arenado’s power hit that turned heads—it was the dominant performance from the Cardinals’ $15 million star on the mound. Erick Fedde completely shut down the most formidable lineup of MLB and sent a warning to all the other teams.

“That is a tough lineup where you can’t take your foot off the gas,” Erick Fedde said. “But they were getting my A stuff”, he added. When asked related to his feelings on the win and what it is for the team, he did not hesitate and said, “No matter who you’re playing, you’ve got to take care of business. But we’re a ballclub that feels that we don’t have to back down from anybody and we believe in our stuff. It shows in the quality of baseball that we’re playing.” Such a warning is not just talk — it is backed by outcomes. Fedde’s outing and Arenado’s walk-off combined to send a message: the team is there to compete, no matter who is standing in their way.

That was not just talk. Fedde walked the walk. The star pitched around four hits and four walks and left Ohtani, Betts, and Freddie Freeman scratching their heads. Erick Fedde’s 5.1 scoreless innings came with ice in his veins, stranding traffic in high-leverage spots and matching Yamamoto pitch for pitch. “The whole bullpen did a great job,” Fedde said, tipping the cap to stars like Matz and Helsley. He also knew that this was a team-wide statement, specifically coming after the shutout on Friday night. The Cardinals have transformed the counters in believers by two days, two wins and one rattled juggernaut.

Right after that, when the moment needed magic, Nolan Arenado answered the call. In the bottom of the ninth, Oliver Marmol talked to the veteran slugger and asked, “Do you want to end it?” Nolan Arenado’s reaction? A yes with confidence. Moments later, Arenado dropped a fly ball into left, scoring Jose Barrero and walking off the opponent team in front of more than 37,000 fans. That was his 13th career walk-off RBI, however, this RBI was special. “It was awesome,” he said. “Yamamoto pitched a great game, but we stayed in there… The credit goes to the guys, man”, he added.

And to think that moment almost never happened. There was some talk of trading the star earlier this season, specifically, with the team pegged for a “rebuilding year.” However, the management stood firm and the star also utilized his no-trade clause and now that gamble is aging beautifully. “We got a great team, man. We are not afraid of anybody,” He added in an interview after the game that radiated belief. He gave love to Pedro Pagés for the bunt. He also praised Masyn Winn’s hustle on the bases.

The Cardinals are now eight games over .500 and have defeated competitors like the Phillies, Mets, Astros and the Dodgers and the so-called “rebuild” becomes a resurrection. With Fedde throwing warnings and the other stars rising to the moment, it is clear—the Cardinals are not just surviving. They are charging.

However, while the Cardinals were busy proving all wrong, the Dodgers were staring down a reality the team has not had to face in a while.

Dodgers small margin of reality raises red flags in NL power race

For a team synonymous with October and fresh off a 2024 World Series trophy, the Dodgers suddenly look human and Dave Roberts did not sugarcoat it. “The way things are going right now, our margin is small,” the manager admitted after the loss. “We’ve got to find a way to capitalize on whatever opportunities we do have.” That brutally honest comment comes at a time when L.A.’s offense is a shadow of its usual self, going 1-for-25 with runners in scoring position over the past two games. For a team built to overwhelm, that’s an unfamiliar—and dangerous—trend.

And the cracks go deeper than just timely hitting. The Dodgers’ pitching staff has been wrecked by injuries. With Tony Gonsolin, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and 10 others sidelined, the pressure on each outing becomes unbearable. That makes it even more disheartening when a gem like Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s nine-strikeout, six-inning shutout performance goes to waste. Despite racking up nine hits, the Dodgers managed only a single run—gifted by a wild pitch. And since lighting up the Yankees last week, they’ve lost five of their last seven, putting even their NL West dominance under fire.

To make matters worse, their cushion in the division is thinning fast. If the Padres engrave a win over Milwaukee, they will tie the Dodgers atop the West, and suddenly, the Dodgers are not chased, they are sharing the race. And with bullpens like the Phillies, Giants, and Cardinals all surging, there is no easy breathing room. Yes, they still have Ohtani, Freeman, and Betts. Yes, Clayton Kershaw is back on the mound. But for now, the margin is not just small, it is shrinking.

The Dodgers can take support in their lineage, but for the first time in years, that might not be enough.

The Cardinals’ upsurge and the Dodgers’ struggles show just how tight the NL race has become. With every game counting, both franchises face a defining stretch ahead. For supporters, it means one thing: buckle up, because this season’s playoff picture is far from decided, and the drama is only steaming up.

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