Dodgers to miss Adam Wainwright in Cardinals series in St. Louis

The Dodgers open up their post-All-Star break schedule with a nine-game road trip, beginning with the always tough trip to St. Louis to face the defending National League pennant winning Cardinals. The Dodgers will miss Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright, per Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com, giving him extra rest after the All-Star break.

The Dodgers beat the Cardinals in three of four games in Los Angeles, limiting St. Louis to just four runs in four game. On paper, the pitching matchups favor the Dodgers to win this series in St. Louis as well, but as we all know games aren't played on paper. Here are the scheduled starting pitchers this weekend.

Friday, 5:15 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)

Dan Haren hopes for a second straight year with a second-half rebound, beginning Friday night in St. Louis, on six days rest. In nine starts on five or more days rest this season, Haren has a 4.08 ERA (compared to 4.37 on four days rest) with 40 strikeouts and 14 walks in 53 innings. Lance Lynn got bulldozed by the Dodgers in Los Angeles on June 28 to the tune of seven runs in two innings, but has allowed just two runs in 13⅓ innings in his two starts since.

Saturday, 1:05 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, Fox Sports 1)

Zack Greinke has 30 strikeouts and two walks in his last four starts, and has gone 11 straight starts with no more than two walks in a start, with 12 total walks and 72 strikeouts during that span. Joe Kelly missed nearly three months with a hamstring injury and in his first start back on July 11 allowed six runs in three innings at Milwaukee, a game the Cardinals came back to win 7-6 despite the early 6-0 deficit.

This game will not be blacked out on Fox Sports 1 in Los Angeles. It will be available on both SportsNet LA and Fox Sports 1.

Sunday, 5:05 p.m. PT (ESPN)

Clayton Kershaw comes off his worst start in a month, when he allowed a run in nine innings with 11 strikeouts against the Padres on July 10. Kershaw has won his last eight starts, with five total runs and six walks allowed in that span in 61 innings, with 80 strikeouts. Carlos Martinez since rejoining the Cardinals rotation in June has 29 strikeouts with just two home runs allowed in 28⅓ innings, with 14 walks and a 4.13 ERA in those six starts.