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The Colorado Rockies enter Thursday’s home game with the Miami Marlins in last place in the National League West, but building upward momentum and sending one of their most reliable starters to the mound in Kyle Freeland.
Miami Marlins (-125, 11) vs. Colorado Rockies
In six starts at home this season, Freeland has a 3.34 ERA with three runs or fewer allowed in five of those six starts. He’s also issuing just two walks per nine innings this season.
The bullpen behind Freeland has also taken strides in the right direction this season, entering Wednesday 16th in the league in bullpen ERA after being last in the league in this category last season. The Rockies are 14th in bullpen ERA over the past 30 days.
Freeland and the bullpen get to face a Marlins lineup that is last in the league in scoring with just under 3.5 runs per game entering Wednesday’s games and with Jazz Chisholm injured, have just one player on the active roster with more than five home runs this season.
On Thursday, the Marlins turn to Braxton Garrett, whose 4.60 ERA is misleading as he had a start against the Atlanta Braves in which he allowed 11 runs in 4 1/3 innings.
With the outlier against the Braves excluded, Garrett has a 2.56 ERA with 1.6 walks per nine innings allowed. However, he is also backed by a bullpen that is 21st in ERA.
The Rockies' offense is also second in the National League at home with over 5.1 runs per game at home compared to 3.8 runs per game on the road.
With the Rockies providing far more run support at home than on the road and the Marlins last in the National League in run differential, the Rockies will wrap up this series with a win.
The Play: Rockies +105