COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
THE GANG HITS THE ROAD
• The Colorado Rockies open a seven-game road trip this evening with game one of a four-game set with the defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies before heading to Cleveland for a three-game set with the Guardians.
• The Rockies were swept for the second time with yesterday’s loss … the club’s 14-3 loss was the fourth time Colorado has dropped a game this season by seven or more runs.
• Since winning their first two games of the season the Rockies have gone 3-14 … their .263 winning percentage overall on the season is the lowest in franchise history through 19 games.
WIT OUT
• Colorado has lost eight in a row, its longest losing streak since losing nine straight from Aug. 27-Sept. 4, 2019.
• The Rockies allowed 33 runs total in the Pittsburgh series, tied for the 10th most in a three-game series in franchise history, the most since allowing 33 runs to the Dodgers June 1-3, 2018.
• Colorado has been outscored 64-24 (-40) over the past eight games … have slashed .226/.300/.358 with seven home runs over the losing streak, including a .156 (10-for-64) average with runners in scoring position … have posted a 6.65 team ERA (69.0 IP, 51 ER) with an opponent average of .297 (84-for-283), including a .403 average with runners in scoring position (29-for-72).
SERIES JAWNS
• The Rockies have failed to win any of their first six series of the season, dropping four and splitting two … last went winless through their first six series of the season in 2005, when they recorded their first series win in their seventh series of the season, April 22-24 vs. Los Angeles-NL.
BARDO-LY LOVE
• Yesterday, Rockies reliever Daniel Bard pitched a perfect eighth inning in his return from the 15-day injured list (anxiety) having missed the team’s first 18 games.
• In 2022, ranked sixth in the Majors and third in the NL with a career-high 34 saves … his 91.9 save percentage (34 saves, 37 opportunities) was the best in Majors and second-best in a single season in Rockies franchise history (first: Huston Street in 2004, 94.6).
GOBBLER
• Elias Díaz’s 17 games at catcher is tied with Wilson Contreras for first in all of baseball … is tied for first in baseball among catchers (also: J.T. Realmuto) with 17 hits … his 28 total bases ranks third among backstops.
• His five caught stealings are tied for second in baseball while allowing just five stolen bases … his only two errors behind the dish came on two catcher’s interference calls on Opening Day.
SCRAPPLE
• Kris Bryant homered for the second consecutive day on Tuesday night, his first two home runs at Coors Field as a member of the Rockies … hit each of his first six home runs with the Rockies on the road, including his first home run of the season last Friday at Seattle.
• Bryant is slashing .310/.380/.493 on the season and has reached base safely in 17 of 18 games … has reached base safely in 54 of 60 total games in his Rockies career, slashing .307/.377/.481.
YOUSE GUYS
• The Rockies bullpen has tossed 77.0 innings of relief through 19 games, the third-most in the Majors and the most in the National League.
• Over the last 14 games, the bullpen has posted a 3.75 ERA (60.0 IP, 25 ER) with 29 walks and 61 strikeouts while allowing four home runs, tied for the sixth-fewest in baseball during that span.
• Since allowing one earned run in his first outing of the season, LHP Brad Hand has put together seven consecutive scoreless appearances (5.2 IP), striking out nine through this span.
• Brent Suter posted a 1.54 ERA in 11.2 innings across seven appearances, tied for the fifth-most innings of relief in the NL.
GO BIRD(S), GO BIRD(S)
• Reliever Jake Bird pitched a career-high three scoreless innings on Wednesday, allowing one hit, one walk and
striking out four … most innings pitched since tossing 3.1 in relief while with Triple-A Albuquerque on June
25, 2021.
• Has struck out 12 in his last 6.1 innings pitched … in seven career games in which Bird has entered with the
team down five runs, has allowed one run over 11.1 innings (0.79 ERA) while striking out 13.
TAP MAC
• Ryan McMahon has made his last two starts at third base after starting his first 17 at second base in place of the injured Brendan Rodgers (2022 2B Gold Glove winner) … McMahon was a finalised for the Gold Glove at third base in both 2021 and 2022.
• At the plate since returning to the hot corner, McMahon is 5-for-9 with three doubles and one RBI, with an .833 BAbip.
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #18 RYAN FELTNER RHP
YOUNG GUN
• The now-26-year-old right-hander made 20 appearances and 19 starts in 2022 in his first full season with the Rockies … went 4-9 (Rockies 6-13) with a 6.03 ERA (94.0, 63 ER) in his 19 starts (four QS), walking 33 and striking out 82.
• Was selected by the Rockies in the fourth round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of Ohio State University.
• Born in Orlando, Florida but attended Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio … was the 2015 Ohio Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year and was selected by Toronto in the 25th round of the 2015 Draft but chose to attend Ohio State.
HOW IT’S GOING
• Has yet to log a win over his first three starts of 2023, with the Rockies going 1-2 … has allowed 13 runs on 15 hits across 13.1 innings for an 8.78 ERA.
• Second loss of the season in his last start, last Saturday at Seattle … pitched 3.2 innings and allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts … allowed just one hit through the first three innings before allowing five runs on four hits in the fourth before exiting with two outs and one on.
• Did not get a decision in the Rockies 7-6 win over the Nationals on April 9 at Coors Field, allowing three runs on six hits over five innings while walking three and striking out three.
• Took the loss in his first start on April 3, allowing five runs over 4.2 innings to the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
I DIDN’T HEAR NO BELL
• Has faced the Phillies twice before, both at Citizens Bank Park, on Sept. 12, 2021 and April 27, 2022, the second and third starts of his career … combined to allow six runs on 11 hits across 8.2 innings with five walks and 13 strikeouts.
• On the losing end on April 27, allowing four runs on seven hits across five innings … struck out a career-high tying seven hitters.
HOME HAPPENINGS
• In 2022, went 2-4 (Rockies 4-4) with a 6.46 ERA (39.0 IP, 28 ER) across eight starts at Coors Field, walking 15 and striking out 33 … allowed five home runs while opponents hit .248 (38-for-153).
• Tossed seven one-run innings in his first start at Coors Field May 30 vs. Miami, allowing four hits with one walk and six strikeouts … the lone run came on a solo homer from Jesús Sánchez … tossed at least six innings just once in his seven remaining home starts, posting a 7.59 ERA (32.0 IP, 27 ER).
• Lone career relief appearance came July 29 vs. Los Angeles-NL, tossing 3.1 shutout innings with three hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
ROAD WOES
• Has gone 2-7 with a 6.31 ERA (67.0 IP, 47 ER) in 14 career starts on the road … pitched fewer than five innings seven times, including fewer than four innings four times.
• Posted a 5.73 ERA (55.0 IP, 35 ER) across 11 road starts in 2022, logging a 2-5 record (Rockies 2-9) with 18 walks and 49 strikeouts … opponents slashed .281/.338/.484 with 11 home runs (61-for-217).
BODY OF WORK
• Through his first 24 career starts has gone 4-12 with a 6.65 ERA (113.2 IP, 84 ER), 49 walks and 103 strikeouts … his 6.65 ERA ranks as the-highest in franchise history through a Rockies pitcher’s first 24 starts while his 12 losses are the second-most through a pitcher’s first 24 starts behind Eddie Butler (13 losses, 2014-16)
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME 19 RECAP: The Phillies defeated the White Sox, 5-2, on a getaway day in Chicago … Starter Taijuan Walker (W, 2-1) went 6.1 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts … Trea Turner (3-5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) fell a triple shy of the cycle and the bullpen combined for 2.1 innings of scoreless relief behind Walker.
ROCKY ROAD: The Phillies have won each of their last five games against the Rockies (since 4/20/22), outscoring Colorado 41-15 in that span (+26 run differential) … The current five-game streak includes four straight wins at CBP, a four-game sweep last April (4/25-28/22) … Last year’s four-game sweep over Colorado was Philadelphia’s first against the Rockies since another four-game sweep, July 23-26, 2010 (at CBP).
PHILLY SPECIAL: Since Rob Thomson took over as manager on June 3, 2022, the Phillies have played 60 games at Citizens Bank Park – they have scored 323 runs in those 60 games (5.38 runs per game) and are slashing .274/.340/.474 with an .814 OPS in 2,241 plate appearances … Among all major league clubs at home since June 3, 2022, the date Thomson took over, the Phillies rank 1st in runs per game (next: COL, 5.24), SLG (next: ATL, .461) & OPS (next: COL, .795) and 2nd in AVG (best: COL, .281) & OBP (best: COL, .341) … The Phillies are 38-22 at CBP under Thomson with a +66 run differential (323-257) … Philadelphia’s .633 winning percentage at home since Thomson took over ranks 4th in the National League behind Atlanta (.750), the Dodgers (.681) & the Mets (.650) and 7th in MLB.
RIPPING HEATERS: This season, Brandon Marsh is batting .394 with a .939 SLG in 37 plate appearances that have ended with a fastball (4-seam, 2-seam/sinker, cutter) … Last season, Marsh hit .243 with a .374 SLG in 227 plate appearances that ended with a heater … Marsh has 10 extra-base hits (5 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR) already this season against fastballs (157 fastballs faced) after having 16 last season (984 fastballs faced) … More specifically, Marsh has seen 105 four-seam fastballs this year – he is batting .417 with a 1.042 SLG against them – in 2022 he hit .230 with a .421 SLG against four-seamers and in 2021 he hit .247 with a .351 SLG against four-seamers.
STRIKE ONE, STRIKE TWO, GOOD LUCK: In yesterday’s 5-2 win over the White Sox, Jose Alvarado picked up his 2nd save in as many attempts with a scoreless 9th inning … Alvarado did not record a strikeout for the first time this year and it snapped a streak of 14 consecutive appearances with 2+ strikeouts (9/13/22-4/18/23) … It was Alvarado’s first appearance without a strikeout since August 26, 2022 vs PIT (20 straight G) … Alvarado, who has faced 29 batters this season, has 18 strikeouts and 0 walks … Since his last walk on Sept. 21, 2022 vs TOR, Alvarado has faced 48 batters and has struck out 30 of them (63.0% SO rate) with 0 walks.
STARTING TO FIND IT: Over their last 10 starts (since 4/10), the Phillies rotation has combined for 54.1 innings pitched, and in that span, rank 4th among all ML rotations in innings, trailing only MIL (59.1), PIT (58.1) and SD (55.1) … Over their first nine games of the year (3/30-4/9), the Phillies starting staff combined for 42.2 innings which ranked 24th among ML staffs.
BULLISH ON THE PEN: Over the last four games (since 4/16 at CIN), the Phillies bullpen has totaled 10.2 scoreless innings with 16 strikeouts, 0 walks and only four hits allowed while averaging 12.3 pitches per inning pitched … Over their first 15 games of the season (3/30-4/15), the bullpen posted a 7.19 ERA (45 ER, 56.1 IP) with 60 strikeouts to 41 walks while averaging 19.7 pitches per inning pitched.
FEELING SLG-ISH: The Phils enter play tonight with 69 extra-base hits (45 2B, 6 3B, 18 HR) which ranks T-2nd in MLB (with PIT), trailing only the Rays (81 XBH) … Philadelphia’s .448 SLG ranks 4th in MLB behind only the Rays (.542), Dodgers (.457) and Pirates (.449) and their 69 extra-base hits are tied for the 2ndmost by a Phillies club in the modern era through 19 games (with 2019), trailing only the 2009 club (70).
GREAT STOTT!: INF Bryson Stott leads MLB this year with 12 multi-hit games … He is the first Phillies player with 12 multi-hit games through the club’s first 19 team games in the modern era (previous: Pinky Whitney, 11 of 19 in 1931) … Stott hit safely in his first 17 games this year and set a Phillies modern day franchise record for consecutive games with a hit to begin a season … Stott eclipsed Puddin’ Head Jones’ previous mark of 16 straight games to begin the 1950 season … Since last year’s All-Star break (7/23/22), Stott has played in 82 games and is slashing .302/.341/.429 in 329 plate appearances.
TONIGHT’S STARTER – MATT STRAHM • LHP #25
LAST START: 4/15 at CIN: L, 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO, HR … Strahm vs Ashcraft … The Phillies fell to the Cincinnati Reds, 13-0, in a Saturday matinee at GABP.
TONIGHT’S START:
• Swing And a Miss: Strahm’s 32.0% swing and miss % (% of swings and misses on all swings) is tops among all Phillies starters so far this season and well over his career average of 25.1% … He ranks in the 82nd percentile in MLB in swing and miss % this season … Despite allowing 3 runs, 6 of the 8 outs he recorded his last start were strikeouts
• Reverse Splits: 43 of the first 50 hitters Strahm has faced this season have been RHH … They are slashing .132/.233/.211 with 14 SO against him … Among all pitchers with at least 40 RHH faced this season, he ranks 5th in OPP AVG and 6th in OPP OPS (.443) … In his career, RHH are slashing .224/294/.386 as opposed to LHH slash line of .250/.327/.396
• WAR Room: Strahm’s 0.4 fWAR in 3 starts and 1 relief appearance (12.2 IP) has already surpassed his 2022 fWAR of 0.3 in 50 relief appearances (44.2 IP)
• Going Streaking: Strahm began his season with an 11.0-inning scoreless streak (12.0 IP dating back to 2022) that ended in the 2nd inning of his last start … It is still the longest scoreless streak by a Phillie this season by 5.0 IP … Strahm still has not allowed a run at CBP this season (5.0 IP) or in his career (8.2 IP) … Strahm was one of just 4 NL pitcher to have each of his first 2 starts this season be scoreless
• Not As Hard As It Looks: Strahm, who prior to this season had not made a start since August 2021, has both of the scoreless starts by any Phillies pitcher this season … In his 3 starts and 1 relief appearance, Strahm has held opponents to a .156/.240/.222 slash line and struck out 15 of the 50 batters he faced (32.0%)
• vs NL West: 3-10, 4.05 ERA (43 ER, 95.2 IP) in 61 games (9 starts)
HOME:
• 2023: 1-0, 0.00 ERA (5.0 IP) in 1 start
• Career: 9-10, SV, 3.75 ERA (63 ER, 151.1 IP) in 97 games (10 starts)
• CBP: 1-0, 0.00 ERA (8.1 IP) in 4 games (1 start)
2023 SEASON:
• Tied his longest career scoreless start (5.0 IP) on 4/10 vs MIA (other: 4/13/19 at ARI)
• On 4/4 at NYY made his first start since 8/17/21 at COL (51 relief apps between)
