Thursday, March 28, 2024
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MLB Preview: Colorado Rockies (12-21) at New York Mets (17-16)

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS
• The Colorado Rockies continue their fourth road trip of the season with a six-game east coast swing that started in Queens last night and will finish in Pittsburgh Monday-Wednesday … coming off a three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers after going 1-2 against the Diamondbacks to start the homestand.

• The sweep of the Brewers was the Rockies first sweep since June 17-19, 2022 vs. San Diego, snapping a franchise record of 38-consecutive series without a winning sweep.

THE BIG PARK
• The Rockies won four games in a row for the first time since Sept. 6-10, 2022 Sunday-Thursday … are 6-4 through their last 10, a .600 winning percentage that is tied for the fifth-best mark in the NL since April 24.

• Across that span, Rockies starters have posted a 3.67 ERA (49.0 IP, 20 ER) with 11 walks and 34 strikeouts while Colorado hitters are slashing .273/.339/.411 while going 29-for-79 (.367) with runners in scoring position … prior to this nine-game stretch, Rockies hitters were batting .220 (42-for-191) with RISP.

• Overall, the Rockies .364 winning percentage is second-to-last in the National League ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals (.303) … is tied for the third-lowest in franchise history through 33 games with the 2008 and 2021 clubs.

CONCRETE JUNGLE
• The Rockies went 2-5 against the Mets in 2022, dropping two of three at Coors Field May 21-22 and three of four at Citi Field Aug. 25-28 … have dropped 10 of 14 contests against the Metropolitans since 2021.

• OF Kris Bryant has slashed .304/.387/.563 in 42 career games against New York-NL, tallying nine doubles, one triple, 10 home runs and 24 RBI … his batting average ranks sixth and .950 career OPS is fifth against the Mets among active players (min. 40 games).

LITTLE TOE
• Ezequiel Tovar snapped a career-best seven-game hitting streak and a 10-game on-base streak with and 0-for3 game last night … the 21-year-old is and is 11-for-38 (.289) with five extra-base hits through his last 11 contests … spoiled the Brewers’ shutout on Thursday with a two-RBI double in the seventh inning … at 21-years-and-276-days-old, he is the youngest Rockie to record an on base streak of at least 10 games since Robert Mejia reached in 11-straight from July 22-Aug. 3, 1993.

• Recorded his first home run of the season Tuesday, his first career home run at Coors Field (second overall).

HERE’S THE GRICHUATION
• Randal Grichuk went 2-for-4 in each of his first three games of the season after being reinstated from the injured list on April 29, tied for the longest multi-hit streak of his career … underwent offseason surgery on a bilateral sports hernia, missing all of Spring Training … it was the seventh time in franchise history that a Rockies player has begun his season with three-straight multi-hit games, the first time since Mark Reynolds did so April 3-5, 2017.

• Has multiple hits in three of four games and is 9-for-19 with a .500/.550/.611 slash line overall since being reinstated.

CHUCK (STILL) NAZTY
• With his one run scored on Sunday, Charlie Blackmon broke his tie with Larry Walker for second on the all-time Rockies runs scored list at 893 … Todd Helton ranks first in Rockies history with 1401.

• Blackmon’s 293 career doubles are four short of tying Walker for the second-most in franchise history.

• Blackmon’s home run in the first inning on April 25 at Cleveland was his 40th career lead-off home run … his 40 lead-off home runs rank ninth all-time (Brady Anderson’s 44 rank eighth) … his 463 ft. home run Wednesday night was the third-longest of his career in the Statcast era (longest: 477 ft, Sept. 7, 2017 vs. Chicago-AL).

WICKED
• Colorado’s 21 errors are tied for the fourth-most in the Majors this season … have allowed 20 unearned runs through its first 33 games, tied with the White Sox for the second-most in baseball, trailing the Angels (22).

• The Rockies have not committed an error in five-straight games for the first time since Sept. 5-10, 2022.

COAT OF ARMS
• Jake Bird ranks second in the Majors with 22.0 relief innings pitched (first in the NL) and is tied for seventh among relievers with 22 strikeouts (tied for third in the NL) … has posted a 0.55 ERA (16.2 IP, 1 ER) with four walks and 18 strikeouts over his last 10 appearances since April 11 … career-high 13.0 innings without an earned run snapped on Sunday.

• Brent Suter tossed a two scoreless innings last night … his 0.89 ERA (20.1 IP, 2 ER) is the third-lowest in franchise history through a player’s first 13 games (min. 13 IP) to begin their Rockies career and lowest since Jose Mesa’s 0.69 ERA (13.0 IP, 1 ER) in 2006 … lowest ERA through first 13 games with at least 20.0 IP.

ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #26 AUSTIN GOMBER LHP

HI, I’M AUSTIN
• Winter Garden, Fla., native is in his 10th professional season, his fifth in the Majors and his third with the Rockies.

• Acquired by Colorado, along with four other players including INF Elehuris Montero in exchange for 3B Nolan Arenado.

• Originally selected by St. Louis in the fourth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Florida Atlantic University.

BELIEVELAND
• Earned his first win of the season on April 24 at Cleveland, tossing 5.0 shutout innings with three hits, three walks and three strikeouts …
exited the game with the Rockies up 6-0, his first time receiving at least six runs of support in a start since July 2, 2022 vs. Arizona (7 RS in an 11-7 Rockies win) … marked his first winning decision since July 12, 2022 vs. San Diego (6.0,6,1,1,1,3).

• Marked the eighth start of his career logging at least five scoreless innings, his fifth overall as a Rockie … last logged five or more scoreless frames on April 23, 2022 at Detroit in a 3-2 Rockies win (6.0,4,0,0,0,8).

OFF TO THE CITI
• Making his third career start against the Mets, his eighth as a member of the Rockies … 1-1 in those matchups, logging a 2.40 ERA (15.0 IP,
4 ER) with no walks and 10 strikeouts … Mets hitters have slashed .208/.208/.340 against him with two home runs.

• Last start vs. the club came May 22, 2022 at Coors Field … allowed two runs over 7.0 innings, fanning two in a 2-0 losing effort.

• Has posted a 5.62 ERA in his nine starts (49.2 IP, 31 ER) against the National League East division

ON YOUR LEFT
• Since joining the Rockies, has held left-handed hitters to a .230/.285/.388 slash line with 10 home runs allowed.

• Held opposing left-handed hitters to a .221 average in 2022 (30-for136), the lowest lefty opponent average by a Rockies left-hander since
Kyle Freeland in 2018 (.185) and the ninth-lowest in a single season in franchise history (min. 140 batters faced).

GO GO GOMBER
• Last season, made 17 starts and 16 appearances out of the bullpen in his second season as a Rockie … went 5-7 (Rockies 9-24) while posting a
combined 5.56 ERA (124.2 IP, 77 ER) across his 33 appearances … his 124.2 innings pitched set a new career-high.

• Began the season in the Rockies rotation, making 12 starts through June 15 and going 3-7 with a 6.43 ERA (63.0 IP, 45 ER), 20 walks and 49
strikeouts.

• Moved to the bullpen at the end of June and made two relief appearances June 22 at Miami and June 26 at Minnesota … allowed four runs over a
combined 4.1 innings (8.31 ERA).

• Went back to the rotation in July and made four starts prior to the All-Star Break, going 2-0 with a 4.15 ERA (21.2 IP, 10 ER), four walks and 15 strikeouts … allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last three starts prior to the Break, pitching to a 3.38 ERA (16.0 IP, 6 ER).

• Returned to the bullpen following the All-Star Break and posted a 4.68 ERA (32.2 IP, 17 ER) with seven walks and 24 strikeouts across 14 relief outings in the second half.

TURN THE TIDE
• Was on the losing side of each of his first four starts of the season, the eighth time a Rockies starter has started 0-4 through their first four starts of a season … first since Roy Oswalt (five straight, June 20-Sept. 14) and Jeff Manship (four straight, Aug.8-24) in 2013.

• His 7.57 ERA (27.1 IP, 23 ER) is the seventh-highest in baseball among pitchers with at least five starts.

• Logged his second quality start of the season in his last start, April 30 vs. Arizona, allowing one run on three hits (one home runs) across six innings in a 12-4 Rockies win.

START IT UP
• As a starter in 2022, went 5-7 (Rockies 7-10) across 17 starts while pitching to a 5.75 clip (87.2 IP, 56 ER) … walked 25 and struck out 68
while opponents hit .292 (101-for-346) with 13 home runs … seven of his starts were quality.

• Posted a 5.72 ERA (50.1 IP, 32 ER) with 14 walks and 32 strikeouts across nine starts at Coors Field … 5.79 ERA (37.1 IP, 24 ER) with 11 walks and 36 strikeouts in eight starts on the road.

• 8.68 SO/9 on the road compared to a 5.72 SO/9 at home.

BACK IT UP
• Made 16 appearances out of the bullpen in 2022, his most since 18 relief outings as a rookie with St. Louis in 2018 … posted a 5.11 ERA (37.0 IP, 21 ER) out of the bullpen with nine walks and 27 strikeouts … opponents hit .254 (36-for-142) with seven home runs.

• Made 12 appearances of two or more innings, four with three or more innings and one career-long outing of 4.2 IP (Aug. 24 vs. TEX).

• In his outing against Texas on Aug. 24, became the first Rockie in history to toss 4.2 or more scoreless frames out of the ‘pen while allowing one or fewer hits.

HAPPY HOME VS. ROCKY ROAD
• In 52 career home games (27 starts) with both St. Louis and Colorado, is 12-9 with a 4.41 ERA (177.2 IP, 87 ER).

• Since joining the Rockies, has gone 9-7 with a 4.64 ERA (132.0 IP, 68 ER) at Coors Field with 35 walks and 94 strikeouts … in 2021, went 5-1 with a 2.09 ERA (47.1 IP, 11 ER) in nine starts at home, posting a 0.95 WHIP.

• Since 2020, is 9-7 with a 4.26 ERA (145.2 IP, 69 ER) in 36 games (23 starts) in his home ballpark … in road games through the same span, is
8-14 with a 5.67 ERA (150.2 IP, 95 ER) in 40 games (27 starts).

WALK IT OUT…OR DON’T
• 2.45 BB/9 in 2022 was the lowest of his career while his 2.79 SO/BB ratio was his highest … BB/9 was the sixth-lowest among National League
lefties and his SO/BB ratio ranked 10th (min. 120.0 IP).

• Did not issue a walk in seven-straight relief outings from Aug. 31-Sept. 29, the longest single-season streak by a Rockies lefty since James Pazos from Sept. 6-28, 2019 (seven games).

• Has walked three or more batters 12 times in 46 starts since joining the Rockies, going 1-9 with an 10.22 ERA (46.2 IP, 53 ER) in those starts … has walked two or fewer batters 34 times over that span, going 15-11 with a 4.12 ERA (183.2 IP, 84 ER) in those starts.

EARLY GOINGS
• Of his 52 career Minor League starts in which he pitched six or more innings, 49 were quality starts and 13 were scoreless.

• Made his Major League debut on June 2, 2018 vs. Pittsburgh and pitched three scoreless, hitless innings of relief for the Cardinals.

• In 2018, became the first Cardinals rookie left-hander since 1912 to win five games in the month of August … did not allow a hit to the first 14 right-handed batters he faced prior to June 25 (Rajai Davis, ninth-inning single).

THIS N’ THAT
• Did not allow more than five hits in any of his first eight starts at Coors Field in 2021 and allowed five hits just once (Aug. 7 vs. Miami) … recorded eight-straight starts allowing five or fewer hits at home, tied for the second-longest streak in franchise history (Ubaldo Jiménez, 2008).

• Posted a 3.27 ERA with 238 strikeouts in his collegiate career at Florida Atlantic University.

• First team All-Sun Belt Conference during his junior year with a league-leading 2.97 ERA.

NEW YORK METS NOTES:

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