Colorado Rockies game no. 16 thread: Kyle Freeland vs Nick Pivetta

Though facing another series sweep is disheartening, it’s crucial to remember the Colorado Rockies are precisely the team we anticipated. They are in the nascent stages of a rebuild, openly acknowledging they are “here for the climb.”

Judged by that standard, a key positive for the Rockies from this series is their ability to challenge the San Diego Padres. Across the initial three contests, games have remained tight and hard-fought. The Padres secured walk-off victories in the first two matchups, and the Rockies brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning last night.

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They are not contenders for the postseason. For this squad, tangible progress is the sole focus.

Nevertheless, preventing a sweep in San Diego to conclude this series would certainly be gratifying. Left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland will be on the mound, spearheading the Rockies’ effort to achieve this.

Despite a shortened spring training, Freeland has commenced the season impressively. Through his initial three starts, he boasts a 2.30 ERA across 15.2 innings, tallying 13 strikeouts against four walks. In his previous outing versus the Houston Astros, he delivered a 6.1-inning Quality Start, surrendering only one earned run on three hits and one walk while fanning five hitters.

Taking the mound for the Swingin’ Friars will be seasoned right-hander Nick Pivetta. Pivetta has been effective with his strikeout pitches early in the season, recording a 13.8 K/9 across 13 innings. Yet, opposing hitters have also found success against him. Through his first three starts, he holds a 5.54 ERA, having given up 12 hits and six walks, though he has not yet surrendered a home run.

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Pivetta’s past performance against the Rockies hasn’t been stellar. His career ERA against the Purple stands at 9.64 over eight outings—seven of them starts—having conceded seven home runs in 32.2 innings. This season, Pivetta’s repertoire mainly consists of four pitches: a four-seam fastball averaging 94.1 MPH, a curveball, a sweeper, and a cutter. He also has a sinker and slider available.

First Pitch: 2:10pm MDT

TV: Rockies.tv

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups: