Let’s get those wins.
No words.
If you came here looking for an in-depth preview, I am sorry to disappoint you this time. Normally I like to delve deep into our opponent, but this time it is the Rockies we are playing again, I already did the previous series preview for this opponent and I am running out of time to write something decent, so I hope you can forgive me (and that is without the big question mark that I actually have about people even reading this preview or any of the other previews I, or my colleagues, normally write).
The general feeling that I have about the Rockies can be read in my previous review and I think most things still hold. You have to give the Rockies some slack though, because firing Bud Black was the right thing to do, if we look at their record. Black was leading the Rockies to a 7-33 record and his replacement, Warren Schaeffer, has already overcome that negative record and is currently at 10-25. It is not that Schaeffer has taught the turtles how to fly, but at least they now remember how to move again, although they are still walking straight into the abyss.
Schaeffer was certainly helped by a couple of unexpected but very welcome wins against weaker teams in the MLB. They swept Miami in a 3-game series a couple of weeks ago, while they almost did the same with the Nationals in a 4-game series, an encounter they wrapped up yesterday, taking 3 of 4. Other than that, it has still been a lot of misery in Colorado. After winning that painful 14-12 game against the Diamondbacks on May 17, the Rockies won just 1 of the next 14 games before sweeping Miami. After that sweep it was once again 1 win in the next 8 until beating Atlanta and winning the next 3 in Washington. So, if you look on the bright side of life, over the last 10 games the Rockies are 5-5.
Ever since meeting the Diamondbacks the last time, they activated and put Thairo Estrada back on the IL, they called up and released former golden boy Keston Hiura, front man Austin Gomber was activated from the 60-day IL and Kyle Freeland was moved onto the 15-day IL.
We are heading to Denver for a 3-game series and then won’t meet the Rockies again until we play them 7 times in August. In the previous series preview in May for this opponent, people were too shy to admit that we need to beat teams like these to get into a playoff spot. When you miss the playoffs because of a couple of wins, like last year, every game you lose against a team like the Rockies will feel like a missed opportunity, so here is to the bashing of Dinger and the rest.
Matchups.
No confirmed starters as of writing.
Game #1 Fri 06/20 5:40 PM MST, Zac Gallen (ARI) vs Austin Gomber (COL).
- Zac Gallen. 15 GS, 86.2 IP, 4 W-8 L, 5.19 ERA, 4.90 FIP, 1.35 WHIP, 81/40 K/BB.
- Austin Gomber. 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 0 W-0 L, 0.00 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 0.60 WHIP, 4/1 K/BB.
Zac Gallen was one of the headliners in that painful 14-12 loss against the Colorado Rockies in May. Gallen went 5 innings but gave up 6 runs on 8 hits, 4 of those a homerun. In his last two games he couldn’t impress either, so we will see how it goes in Denver.
Opposite will be Austin Gomber who was recently activated from the 60-day IL. Together with Dollander, Gomber is probably the best pitcher on that Rockies roster, evidenced by a fine scoreless appearance in Atlanta, where the Rockies actually achieved a 10-1 blowout win. Last season he pitched 4 times against Arizona. He got 3 no decisions until he was knocked around in 2 innings and gave up 6 runs late September.
Game #2 Sat 06/21 6:10 PM MST, Merrill Kelly (ARI) vs Carlson Palmquist (COL).
- Merrill Kelly. 15 GS, 87.0 IP, 6 W-3 L, 3.41 ERA, 3.23 FIP, 1.02 WHIP, 86/22 K/BB.
- Carlson Palmquist. 6 GS, 26.2 IP, 0 W-4 L, 7.76 ERA, 7.27 FIP, 1.76 WHIP, 18/16 K/BB.
Merrill Kelly went 7 innings and gave up just 1 run in the previous series against Colorado, enough to get a well earned win. Though Kelly struggled against the Padres the last time out, he has pitched well in general and this matchup promises to add yet another win to his name. The past 3 seasons Kelly has been able to dominate at Coors Field.
24-year old Palmquist is learning how to pitch in the MLB the hard way. As we hinted at in the series preview of our previous encounter with the Rockies, Palmquist made his major league debut in a game against the Diamondbacks. Not only did he face a motivated Corbin Burnes, but he couldn’t get a snake to strike out and left the field 4 innings and 6 earned runs later. His following start against the Phillies was even worse and he was tagged with 7 runs in 4.1 innings. He has been able to punch a batter out here and there ever since, but is currently not fooling any major league hitter and gives up a homerun every 4 innings. Palmquist probably needs some more seasoning in the minors, but the question is if the Rockies are able and willing to do that.
Game #3 Sun 06/22 12:10 PM MST, Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) vs Antonio Senzatela (COL).
- Brandon Pfaadt. 15 GS, 75.1 IP, 8 W-4 L, 5.38 ERA, 5.23 FIP, 1.39 WHIP, 58/19 K/BB.
- Antonio Senzatela. 15 G, 14 GS, 71.0 IP, 2 W-10 L, 6.72 ERA, 5.46 FIP, 1.98 WHIP, 35/27 K/BB.
In my previous series preview, I wrote that Pfaadt going 5 innings and giving up 2-3 runs would be considered a quality start after all of his struggles of late. I am inclined to say the same thing this time, because although the opponent is worse than Toronto, a fly ball pitcher like Pfaadt will always play with fire in Colorado. Pfaadt didn’t pitch against Colorado in the previous series, nor has he ever pitched at Coors Field. That might become an unpleasant experience for both pitcher and fans.
Senzatela has been terrible for the Rockies this season and the only two reasons he is still on this team is because the Rockies need a warm body on that mound to throw something and Senzatela is on a contract until the end of 2026. Senzatela got his second win (and against the same opponent) of the season in his previous outing, allowing just 1 earned run in 5 innings in Washington. He didn’t pitch in the previous series and the last time he faced the Diamondbacks was last year, when he made his comeback in September after a long period of absence after injuries. He completed 3 innings and gave up 2 runs then.