The Colorado Rockies (17-27) are back at the friendly confines of Coors Field, ready to kick off a six-game homestand after a tough road trip through Pennsylvania. Fresh off a 2-4 stretch against the Phillies and Pirates, the Rockies are looking to turn the page—but they'll have to do it without one of their promising young arms. Chase Dollander, who exited yesterday's 7-2 loss to Pittsburgh in the second inning, has been placed on the 15-day injured list with an elbow strain. The silver lining? Sterlin Thompson (the organization's No. 13 prospect) is reportedly on his way to Denver, adding some fresh energy to the lineup.
This homestand also comes at a critical time for Colorado, who are trying to shake off a rough May that has seen them go just 3-9 so far. The weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (20-22) offers a chance to right the ship, especially at Coors Field, where the Rockies hold an 8-11 record but boast a solid .767 OPS.
The Diamondbacks, sitting in third place in the NL West, are licking their wounds after a painful 6-5 walk-off loss to Texas on Wednesday. Their offensive production has been inconsistent, but they still pack a punch with stars like Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and former Rockie Nolan Arenado—who is having a strong season with a 118 wRC+ and six home runs. Marte, in particular, has been a thorn in the Rockies' side, especially against tonight's starter, Kyle Freeland, going 17-for-48 with three homers and a 1.124 OPS in their matchups.
The Rockies will turn to veteran lefty Kyle Freeland (1-4, 6.00 ERA, 1.47 WHIP) to get them back in the win column. Since returning from the injured list, Freeland's outings have been a mixed bag—he's allowed 16 earned runs over 14 1/3 innings in three starts. While he's doing a good job limiting walks and getting hitters to chase, the contact against him has been loud, especially on his fastball. The key for Freeland tonight will be keeping the ball in the park and avoiding the big inning.
On the mound for Arizona is veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly, who has struggled to find his footing this season. Through five starts, Kelly has a 7.62 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP, with hard contact and walks plaguing his outings. His four-seamer, changeup, and cutter have all been hit hard. That said, Kelly has a history of dominating the Rockies—over 17 career starts against Colorado, he's 9-3 with a 3.25 ERA, 102 strikeouts, and a 1.130 WHIP. Ezequiel Tovar and the rest of the Rockies' bats will need to be patient and capitalize on any early-count mistakes.
First pitch at Coors Field is set for 6:40 PM MT. Let's see if the Rockies can turn their home-field advantage into a much-needed win to kick off this homestand.