The Colorado Rockies are at Coors Field to begin a six-game homestand with a weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks are coming off a 6-5 walk-off loss. Colorado went 2-4 through Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Rockies’ Roster Changes and May Struggles
Yesterday’s 7-2 loss to the Pirates came with a larger concern than the score: Chase Dollander left in the second inning and has now been placed on the 15-day injured list with an elbow strain.
The bad news resulted in a series of roster moves, and Sterlin Thompson is reportedly headed to Denver.
Colorado also enters this homestand trying to stop a May slide that has left them 3-9 on the month.
Pitching Matchup: Freeland vs. Kelly
The Rockies will turn to veteran lefty Kyle Freeland as they look to return to the win column. Freeland enters at 1-4 with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP, and his recent stretch since returning from the injured list has been uneven — 16 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings across three starts.
Freeland is still getting hitters to chase, and he has done a good job limiting walks. The problem is that the contact has been too loud when opponents square him up, especially against the fastball.
Merrill Kelly takes the mound for Arizona, and his numbers have not been great. The veteran righty enters with a 7.62 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP through five starts, with hard contact and walks both showing up as problems.
His four-seamer, changeup, and cutter have all been hit hard. But Kelly has been very good against Colorado over his career. In 17 starts against the Rockies, he is 9-3 with a 3.25 ERA, 102 strikeouts, and a 1.130 WHIP.
Key Players to Watch
The third-place Diamondbacks’ overall offensive production has been underwhelming. Still, they still have Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and former Rockie Nolan Arenado — who has a 118 wRC+ with six home runs on the year.
Marte has hit Freeland hard, going 17-for-48 with three home runs and a 1.124 OPS against him.
Ezequiel Tovar has had a brutal start to the season, but he has handled Kelly: .438 with two home runs in 16 at-bats.
Rockies Aim to Rebound at Home
The Rockies are 8-11 with a .767 OPS at Coors Field.
A steady Freeland start, a few real swings against Kelly, and a win over a division opponent would be a great way to start the homestand.