MLB Preview: Colorado Rockies (26-34) at Kansas City Royals (17-41)

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

JOES

• The Colorado Rockies conclude their seven-game road trip this afternoon at Kansas City … are looking to sweep the Royals with a win today after being swept by Arizona in four games to begin the trip.
• A win today would give Colorado their first sweep of at least three games on the road since Aug. 24-26, 2020 at Arizona and their second ever three-game sweep in an American League ballpark (also: June 26-28, 2009 at Oakland).
• Today also concludes a stretch of 17-straight days with a game for Colorado, with the Rockies going 7-9 … after an off-day tomorrow, the club’s first since May 18, the Rockies will embark on a stretch of 16 straight days with a game before their next off day on June 22, for a total stretch of 33 games in 34 days from May 19-June 21.
• The Rockies begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday with the first of three games against the San Francisco Giants, the first time they’ll play the division rival this year … welcome the San Diego Padres for three games Friday-Sunday.
• Colorado has gone 18-14 (.563) since April 30, tied for the third-best record in the NL over that span with the Giants, behind the Dodgers (20-11, .645) and Diamondbacks (19-12, .613).

RETURN OF THE MAC

• Third baseman Ryan McMahon went 2-for-5 with an RBI Saturday to extend his on-base streak to 12 games since May 25 … has multiple hits in each of his last three games, tied for the longest streak of his career.
• Over his last 10 games, McMahon has gone 19-for-39 (.487) with 11 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, five home runs, 15 RBI, six walks (.556 OBP) and 10 strikeouts … he’s the first Rockies player with 19 hits, nine extra-base hits and 15 RBI in a 10-game span since Charlie Blackmon in 2019 … he’s the third player in franchise history to put up those numbers while also walking six or more times, joining Todd Helton (2000 and 2001) and Larry Walker (1997) … the last player in the Majors with a 10-game stretch with these numbers was Freddie Freeman with the Braves in September 2020.
• McMahon’s 1.9 WAR (Baseball Reference) is second-best among all NL third basemen … his seven defensive runs saved at third base are the second-most in baseball among third basemen.

HI, MY NAME IS

• The Rockies have used 26 total pitchers this season, tied for the third-most in baseball with Los Angeles-AL, behind Oakland (29) and Tampa Bay (29) … the Rockies used 25 total pitchers in 2022, 26 in 2021 and have used more than 30 pitchers just once since 2016 (31 pitchers, 2019).
• Colorado has also used 11 starting pitchers in 2023, tied for the third-most in the Majors … entering the season, the Rockies had used 22 total starting pitchers from 2017-22, Bud Black’s first six years as manager, the fewest starters in the Majors.

ROYALTY

• Rockies Manager Bud Black returns to Kansas City, his second time managing against the Royals in Kansas City (also: 2017 with Colorado) … Black pitched for parts of seven seasons with the Royals from 1982-88 and ranks 14th in franchise history in innings pitched (977.2) and wins (56) … made 33 starts for the 1985 World Series Champion Royals, including one start and one relief appearance in the World Series … was also the Royals’ starting pitcher in the “Pine Tar Game” on July 24, 1983.
• Mike Moustakas played the first eight seasons of his career with the Royals after Kansas City selected him with the second overall pick in the 2007 Draft … ranks ninth in Royals franchise history in home runs (139) and 14th in games played (934) … two-time All-Star with the Royals in 2015 and 2017 and member of the 2015 World Series Champion team … has appeared in two games at Kauffman Stadium as member of the visiting team, going 1-for-4 in two games with the Reds Aug. 19-20, 2020 … also returned to Kauffman July 5-7, 2021 as a member of the Reds but did not play while on the injured list.

EAZY E

• 21-year-old shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is slashing .346/.404/.581 with seven doubles and one home run over his last 15 games and his hitting .285 (37-for-130) over his last 37 games since April 23, raising his average from .172 to .247 on the season.
• Has started 56 games at shortstop, tied for the third-most in the Majors … his 1.1 defensive WAR is tied for the sixth-highest in baseball among all players, tied for second among shortstops.

BABY GOT BACKSTOP

• Rockies catcher Elias Díaz’s .310 batting average ranks 10th in the Majors, sixth in the NL … his .374 average (34-for-91) average at home is the second-highest in the Majors while his .404 (21-for-52) average with runners in scoring position is the ninth-highest the Majors.
• Has appeared in 50 games at catcher, the second-most in the Majors … his 11 catcher caught stealing are tied for the second-most in the Majors … 1.2 dWAR tied for the fourth-highest mark among all players, the best among all catchers.

ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #21 KYLE FREELAND LHP
DENVER KID

• Kyle Freeland will make his 13th start of the season today, his sixth on the road.
• The 30-year-old Denver native graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, 15 minutes south of Coors Field … selected in the first round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft (eighth overall), the third player in University of Evansville history to be drafted in the first round.
• The Rockies announced on April 19, 2022 that they agreed to a five-year contract extension with Freeland covering the 2022-26 seasons … the extension includes two arbitration years and three years of free agency.

SNAKE BITE

• Suffered the loss in the Rockies’ 5-1 defeat at Arizona on May 30 in his last start … tossed 5.2 innings with six hits, five runs, three walks and a strikeout.
• Four of the five runs came from three home runs … his second outing this season giving up three home runs (also: April 22 at Philadelphia).

ROYAL BLUES

• Faced Kansas City once in his career, on May 13, 2022 … pitched 4.2 innings and allowed eight runs (six earned) on 12 hits and two walks.
• The 12 hits allowed are a career-high … eight runs given up is tied for the third-most in his career … recorded zero strikeouts in the start, one of only six instances in his career as a starter.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

• Gone 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA (37.1 IP, 14 ER), nine walks and 31 strikeouts in seven home starts … is 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA (16.0 IP, 2 ER) over his last three home starts and 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA (22.0 IP, 5 ER) over his last four.
• Career record of 31-26 (Rockies 50-35) with a 4.65 ERA (450.2 IP, 233 ER) in 85 appearances (82 starts) at Coors Field … ERA eighth all-time at Coors Field among pitchers with at least 40 starts, 31 wins tied for fourth with Jon Gray and Jason Jennings.

DONUT

• Has six games this season in which he has tossed at least five scoreless innings, already tied for the second-most such games in a single season in franchise history … his next game of five-plus scoreless innings will tie him with Ubaldo Jiménez in 2010 for the most in franchise history.

ROAD WARRIOR

• Has lost each of his last four road starts, allowing 16 runs across 20.2 innings (6.97 ERA) … has not received a run of support in any of his last three road starts … has allowed 10 runs in 7.2 innings over his last two road starts, allowing 15 total hits.
• Held a 2.84 ERA (19.0 IP, 6 ER) through his first three road starts before allowing 13 runs (10 earned) across 7.2 innings over his last two road starts.
• Has gone 5-9 with a 3.62 ERA (114.1 IP, 46 ER) in 20 starts on the road over the past two seasons … posted a 3.29 road ERA (68.1 IP, 25 ER) in 12 road starts since last year’s All-Star Break, the sixth-lowest road ERA in the NL over that span (min. 60 IP).

KANSAS CITY ROYALS NOTES:

MISTAKES MAGNIFIED: The Royals suffered a 6-4 loss to the Rockies yesterday, a game in which several key mistakes proved costly…Bobby Witt Jr. misplayed a potential double play ball in the 1st inning, after which the Rockies recorded 3 run-scoring bloop hits to take a 5-0 lead against Daniel Lynch…with runners at the corners and 1 out in the 3rd, Witt Jr. was picked off third base—his 2nd pickoff in as many games—after which Maikel Garcia had an RBI single that would’ve plated 2 runs if not for the miscue…but as has been the case all season, the Royals fought their way back, as run-scoring hits by Drew Waters in the 8th and Salvador Perez in the 9th brought the tying run to the plate in the form of MJ Melendez, who grounded out to end the game.

They stranded 10 baserunners and out-hit the Rockies, 11-8, falling to 10-10 when out-hitting their opponent.

Witt Jr. snapped a 2-for-20 skid over his previous 5 games with his 6th 3-hit effort, tied for 3rd most in the American League this season, trailing only Bo Bichette (9) and teammate Vinnie Pasquantino (7)… he also recorded his 18th stolen base—which ranks 4th in the Majors—and his 5th in the last 9 games.

Lynch needed 38 pitches to get through the 1st, but cruised through the next 4.0 innings on 59 pitches.

SERIES SPEAKING: Yesterday’s loss clinched the Royals fifth consecutive winless series, a drought in which they’ve lost four sets with one split since their last series win in San Diego from May 15-17…the Royals are 3-15- 1 in series play this season, including 1-9-0 at Kauffman Stadium, and today they will attempt to avoid being swept in a 3-game series for the sixth time this season…they were swept in 3 games seven times all last year.

The Royals entered this weekend with a 16-12 (.571) record all-time vs. Colorado, which was their 2nd-best mark vs. any opponent, but they’ve lost the 1st 2 games of this series to clinch their first series defeat to the Rockies since July 1-3, 2011 and their first series loss to them at Kauffman Stadium since May 21-23, 2010…the Royals have been swept by the Rockies only once, from June 24-26, 2005 at Coors Field.

The Royals have allowed at least 6 runs in 5 straight games vs. the Rockies dating back to last year—in which they’re 2-3—after holding them to 5 runs or fewer in 7 straight from 2014-17, in which they went 5-2.

ROCKIES RELATIONS: Rockies Manager Bud Black played seven of his 15 big league seasons with the Royals from 1982-88…he won a career-best 17 games with Kansas City in 1984 and started 33 games for the World Series champion Royals in 1985…in his 16 seasons as a Manager, Buddy is 8-6 vs. the Royals, including a 4-2 record with San Diego from 2007-15 and a 4-4 record since he was named Rockies Manager in 2017.

Mike Moustakas was drafted 2nd overall by Kansas City in 2007 and spent the first eight seasons of his 13- year career with the Royals, and was a World Series champion in 2015…Moose also set the single-season club record with 38 HR in 2017, a mark that’s been beaten twice since…Moustakas has played in only 33 of the Rockies 60 games this season…this weekend marks his third trip to Kauffman Stadium as a visitor, including a doubleheader with the Reds on Aug. 19, 2020…he went 1-for-4 with 2 walks in an empty ballpark due to COVID restrictions…he was on the Injured List when the Reds visited Kansas City in 2021.

INTERLEAGUE INTRIGUE: Following today’s finale with the Rockies, the Royals will fly to South Beach to begin a 3-game series with the Marlins starting tomorrow night…this will mark their fourth trip to Miami and third visit to loanDepot Park, which opened in 2012…the upcoming series in Miami will be the last of four straight sets vs. National League opponents, and will end a run of six out of eight Interleague series dating back to mid-May.

The Royals are 7-15 in Interleague play this season, but have lost 3 straight games after winning 4 of 6.

Today marks the Royals 23rd Interleague game, which represents almost 40% of their 59 games to this point, and ties Atlanta and Boston for the 3rd most in the Majors this season, trailing Pittsburgh (26) and Milwaukee (24)…their 23 Interleague games are a single-season club record and mark the halfway point of their 46-game Interleague schedule…their previous high was 20 games, done every year from 2013-22.

Salvador Perez is Kansas City’s all-time leader in Interleague play in home runs (36) and RBI (111), and his 195 hits rank 2nd to Alex Gordon (210)…Salvy has recorded at least 1 RBI in 7 of his 10 career games vs. the Rockies, in which he’s batting .310 (13-for-42) with 3 doubles, 2 HR and 9 RBI with an .849 OPS.

SOUTHPAW STORY: Today marks the sixth time in the Royals last 10 games that they’re facing a left-handed starting pitcher, including yesterday’s 6-4 loss that was started by Austin Gomber, who was charged with 2 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks in 2.2 innings…this 10-game run of southpaw starters comes on the heels of a 15-game stretch from May 7-22 in which they faced all right-handed starters…the Royals are 4-10 vs. left-handed starters this season…today the Royals are facing left hander Kyle Freeland, who in his only previous start vs. the Royals last season in Colorado suffered a 14-10 loss in which he was charged with 8 runs (6 ER) on 12 hits in 4.2 innings.

Maikel Garcia is 11-for-27 (.407) with 4 doubles vs. left-handed pitchers since his May 2 recall…Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Royals with 16 hits and 5 home runs vs. left handers, and is batting .320 against them, including 2 of his 3 hits yesterday.

Left-handed batter Michael Massey has fared well vs. left-handed pitching, batting .345 (10-for-29)…in fact, Massey’s .345 average vs. southpaws is the 3rd best among left-handed batters in the American League (min. 25 at-bats), trailing only Anthony Rizzo (.391) and Corey Seager (.353).

AFTERNOON DELIGHT: Today’s 1:10 p.m. CT start marks the Royals 2nd straight day game this weekend and their 27th day game out of 59 (45.8%), 5th most in the American League…the Royals are scheduled for 64 day games this season, which would match 2021 for their 2nd most in a single season, trailing only the 2022 Royals (69)…the Royals are just 8-18 in day games this year, but have won 5 of their last 10 matinees after starting 3-13.

FINALE FORESHADOW?: The Royals have had 2 walk-off wins this season, and they’ve both come in the final game of their last two homestands…the 1st was a 4-3 decision on May 11 vs. the White Sox, a game won on a walk-off bunt RBI by Freddy Fermin in the 9th inning…the Royals most recent walk-off win came one week ago today in a 3-2 victory over the Nationals on an RBI single by Michael Massey…the Royals wouldn’t mind capping their third consecutive homestand finale in walk-off fashion today, as they attempt to improve on their 4-9 record on getaway days this season.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Royals have put the “home” in “home run” this season, hitting 36 of their 59 homers at Kauffman Stadium (61.0%), which ranks 11th in the Majors…last season, the Royals hit 65 home runs in 81 home games, which ranked 27th out of 30 teams…the home team offense has been especially potent since the start of May, an 18-game stretch in which the Royals have hit 29 HR at Kauffman Stadium, the 2nd-most in the Majors during that time, trailing only the Yankees, who have hit 31 HR at Yankee Stadium since the start of last month…with 36 HR in 31 home games, the Royals are on pace to hit 94 HR at Kauffman Stadium this season, which would pass the club record of 88 HR at home, done in 1997, 2002 and 2017.

STARTING SOMETHING: Royals starting pitchers rank 27th in the Majors this season with a 5.29 ERA and their 8 wins rank 29th…but since the starter’s ERA topped out at 6.08 following their game on May 6, they have pitched to a 4.06 ERA (49 ER in 108.2 IP) in their last 24 games, which ranks in the top half of the Majors…even better, Royals starters have held opponents to a .230 average (94-for-408) in their last 24 games since May 7, which is tied with Atlanta’s starting rotation for the 4th-best mark in the Majors and ranks 2nd in the American League behind only Toronto (.226).

More recently, Royals starters own a 3.29 ERA (15 ER in 41.0 IP) in the last 9 games and have held opponents to 2 runs or fewer in 7 of those games… if you include Mike Mayers’ 6.0 scoreless innings as the bulk pitcher last Monday in St. Louis, the starter’s ERA in the last 9 games drops to 2.87

TODAY’S STARTERS: RHP BRADY SINGER (3-4, 7.12)

BRADY SINGER is making his 12th start of 2023 and 75th of his career today vs. Colorado…it’s his 1st start vs. the Rockies and his 6th Interleague start of the year… he’s in his fourth season in the Majors and was selected by Kansas City in the 1st round (18th overall) of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida.

LAST START: Singer did not figure into the decision of Kansas City’s 4-2 loss on May 27 vs. Washington, in which he was charged with 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks in 5.0 innings plus two batters, with 6 strikeouts…Brady issued 3 walks to the first six batters he faced but stranded them all, including 2 walks in the 1st inning and another in the 2nd…he pitched a 1-2-3 3rd and didn’t allow a hit until the 4th, when Jeimer Candelario doubled to begin the frame and was stranded at third…Singer stranded a 1-out double in the 5th and took a 2-0 lead into the 6th, when he allowed back-to-back hits to begin the frame, including an RBI double by Corey Dickerson, and exited in favor of Josh Taylor, who allowed the game-tying inherited runner to score.

The Royals lost a game in which Brady allowed 2 earned runs or fewer for the first time since last July 28 at Yankee Stadium—a 1-0 loss in which he allowed 1 hit over 7.0 innings—snapping the team’s 11-game win streak in such starts.

JEKYLL AND HYDE: Brady has been charged with at least 5 runs in 6 of his 11 starts this season, after doing so in only 2 of his 27 appearances (24 starts) last year…the Royals, predictably, are 1-5 in games that he allows at least 5 runs…but on the flip side, he’s held opponents to 2 earned runs or fewer in his other 5 starts, in which the Royals are 4-1…he appears to be trending in the right direction of late, as he’s held opponents to 2 earned runs or fewer in 3 of his last 4 starts, in which he’s 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA (10 ER in 20.2 IP)…despite the ups and downs, the Royals are 5-6 in his 11 starts and those 5 wins in games started by Singer are the most among all Royals starters.

WALK THIS WAY: Brady has issued 23 walks in 54.1 innings this season for a 3.8 BB/9, after issuing just 35 walks in 153.1 innings all of last year, which resulted in a 2.1 BB/9 that ranked 8th in the American League (min. 150.0 IP)…after not walking a batter in 3 of his 1st 5 starts this season, he’s issued multiple walks in each of his last 6.

CASTING CALLS: In 35 starts since his recall on May 17 of last season, Brady has induced a called strike on 665 of 3,325 pitches (20.0%), 4th most in the Majors behind Logan Webb (701), Gerrit Cole (690) and Aaron Nola (670)…Singer’s rate of 20.0% called strikes since May 17, 2022 leads the Majors (min. 2,500 pitches), ahead of Sonny Gray (17.8%), and since his 2020 debut season, Singer’s called-strike rate of 20.8% ranks 2nd in the Majors (min. 5,000 pitches), trailing only Adam Wainwright (21.1%).

CAN’T TOUCH THIS: Singer has recorded 391 strikeouts in 400.1 innings since his 2020 debut for an 8.8 K/9, which is the best rate in Royals history among pitchers who’ve started at least 70 games, ahead of Ian Kennedy (8.4), Jakob Junis (8.1) and Danny Duffy (8.1)…his 391 strikeouts are the most by a Royal through 77 career appearances, 1 more than Jakob Junis’ 390…to keep his lead through 78 career outings, Singer needs at least 5 strikeouts today to pass Junis’ 395 strikeouts.

STOPPER: Singer has had success in his career following a Royals loss, and he’ll attempt to be the stopper again today after Kansas City’s 6-4 defeat yesterday vs. the Rockies…in 46 career appearances following a Royals loss, Singer is 16-11 with a 3.89 ERA (105 ER in 242.2 IP), and all 3 of his wins this year have followed a team loss.

INTERLEAGUE INTRIGUE: Brady is making his 6th Interleague start of the season today vs. the Rockies, which matches Patrick Corbin, Bryce Elder and Anthony DeSclafani—all National League pitchers—for the most Interleague starts in the Majors this season…Singer allowed 13 runs in 11.0 innings over his 1st 2 Interleague starts, but he’s 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA (5 ER in 17.0 IP) in his last 3 starts vs. National League opponents, including wins in Arizona and San Diego and a no decision in his most recent start on May 27 vs. Washington, in which he allowed 2 runs in 5.0 innings.

Today marks Singer’s 1st career start vs. the Rockies, but in 12 career starts vs. National League opponents, he’s 5-3 with a 4.52 ERA (33 ER in 65.2 IP).

TAKE ME HOME: Singer is 1-3 with a 7.22 ERA (27 ER in 33.2 IP) in 7 starts at Kauffman Stadium this season and already has more losses than he had all of last season at home…in 2022, he went 8-2 over 15 appearances (14 starts) at The K with a 2.76 ERA (29 ER in 94.2 IP), including a 6-0 record and 1.67 ERA (11 ER in 59.1 IP) over his last 9 home starts…Brady’s 4 home starts this month have been eventful ones, including a 5-4 loss to Oakland on May 6, a 4-3, walk-off win on May 11 vs. the White Sox, an 8-5 loss in extra innings on May 22 vs. Detroit and a 4-2 Royals loss in his most recent start on May 27 vs. Washington, in which he exited with a 2-0 lead before the Nationals scored 4 runs in the top of the 6th inning.