MLB Preview: Colorado Rockies (19-26) at Texas Rangers (27-17)

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING LATELY

• The Colorado Rockies continue their short three-game road trip this afternoon against the Texas Rangers.
• Following this series in Texas, the Rockies return home for a seven-game homestand against the Miami Marlins (May 22-25) and New York Mets (May 26-28).
• Colorado has won four of their last five series since May 2 and five of their last seven series since April 24 … the Rockies have also won each of their last three road series, including each of the last two after dropping the series opener… had lost or split each of their first seven series of the season prior to this stretch.
• The Rockies have won 11-5 over their last 17 and 13-9 through their last 21 since April 24, a .591 winning percentage that is tied for the third-best mark in the NL over that span.

MAY FLOWERS

• The Rockies are off to an 10-6 start in May, a .625 winning percentage that is tied for the fourth-best in the Majors, second overall in the NL behind the Dodgers (13-4, .765) … Colorado went 9-20 in April, their worst record in the month of April in franchise history.
• Colorado’s 3.57 team ERA (141.0 IP, 56 ER) this month is the fifth-lowest in the Majors … the bullpen has logged six wins and posted a 2.52 ERA (64.1 IP, 18 ER) with 33 walks, 75 strikeouts and three home runs allowed in May.
• Rockies hitters are slashing .266/.327/.427 in May, the sixth-highest average in the Majors … are batting .341 (42-for-123) with runners in scoring position, the highest in the Majors this month … the club hit .251 with runners in scoring position through the end of April.
• After committing 21 errors in their first 29 games through April, tied for the most in the Majors, the Rockies’ five miscues this month are tied for the fourth-fewest in the Majors.

UPPER ECHELON

• Rockies Manager Bud Black is sitting at 436 wins with the Rockies since his first season with the club in 2017, four wins shy of tying Don Baylor for the second-most managerial wins in franchise history … Baylor, the Rockies’ first manager in franchise history, went 440-469 in six seasons at the helm from 1993-98.

DOYLE DOES

• Over his last five games, rookie outfielder Brenton Doyle has gone 6-for-18 with six runs, one double, one triple, three home runs and six RBI.
• On Monday, Doyle connected on two home runs, his third and fourth of the season, while going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, one double and three RBI … his 10 total bases were the most in franchise history out of the ninth spot in the order, and tied for the fourth-most by a Rockies rookie in franchise history, the most since Ben Paulsen’s 12 on July 26, 2015 vs. Cincinnati.
• Despite playing in only 20 games, Doyle’s four home runs are tied for sixth-most among NL rookies while his six stolen bases are tied for the fourth-most among all NL rookies.

BEHIND THE DISH

• Catcher Elias Díaz ranks third in the Majors with a .336 batting average and fifth in the Majors with a .459 batting average (17-for-37) with runners in scoring position.
• Díaz is batting .364 (26-for-44) in May, including .538 (7-for-13) with runners in scoring position this month.
• Has appeared in 38 games at catcher, tied for the most in the Majors … his 10 catcher caught stealing rank second in the Majors, while his 44.0 caught stealing percentage ranks fourth.

THROW THE BALL

• Jake Bird ranks second among Major League relievers, first in the NL, with 29.0 innings pitched … his 30
  strikeouts are tied for the fifth in the Majors among relief pitchers … has posted a 0.77 ERA (23.1 IP, 2 ER)
  with eight walks and 26 strikeouts over his last 15 appearances since April 11.
• Brent Suter’s 27.2 innings of relief are fourth in the Majors and second in the NL behind Bird … his 0.98
  ERA (27.2 IP, 3 ER) is the eighth-lowest in the Majors among relievers … it is also the third-lowest through
  a Rockies pitcher’s first 18 games (min. 10 IP) with the club, trailing John Axford (0.53, 2015) and Chuck
  McElroy (0.96, 1998).
  YEEHAW
• The Rockies return to Arlington, where they have played each of the last three years since Globe Life Field
  opened in 2020 … have gone 5-4 in the new ballpark, including a two-game sweep April 11-12 of last season
  … the Rockies played in the inaugural game at Globe Life Field on July 24, 2020, losing 1-0.
• Overall, the Rockies have gone 10-7 against the Rangers since 2020 … five of the Rockies’ seven losses over
  that span have been by two or fewer runs, including four one-run losses.

OLD FRIENDS

• Today’s starting pitchers, Kyle Freeland (5th, 159) and Jon Gray (151, 7th), both rank in the top seven in Rockies franchise history in games started … this is the first starting pitching matchup in which both pitchers had 150 or more career starts for the Rockies entering the game … only twice before have two starting pitchers with at least 100 starts with the Rockies faced each other, both in 2005: Jamey Wright vs. the Padres’ Pedro Astacio on Aug. 28 and Jason Jennings vs. the Braves’ John Thomson on May 10, 2005.
• A win today by Freeland would be the 54th of his career, passing Gray and Astacio for the seventh-most in franchise history

ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #21 KYLE FREELAND LHP
DENVER KID

• Kyle Freeland will make his 10th start of the season today, his fourth 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.

A BIRTHDAY GIFT

• Last start came on May 14 vs. Philadelphia at Coors Field on his 30th birthday … earned his fourth win of the season, pitching six scoreless innings with four hits, one walk and a season-high eight strikeouts in a 4-0 Rockies win.
• Became the fourth pitcher in franchise history to earn a win on his birthday, joining Brian Bohanon (1999), Mike DeJean (1997) and Kevin Ritz (1995).

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.

DEALING

• Ranks among National League starting pitchers in quality starts (six, T-4th), innings pitched (51.1, T-16th), ERA (3.16, T-15th) and opponent batting average (.238, 20th).
• Has allowed three or fewer runs in seven of his nine starts … allowed nine runs (seven earned) in 2.2 innings on April 17 vs. Pittsburgh … in five starts since, has gone 2-3 with a 2.70 ERA (30.0 IP, 9 ER), including 2-1 with a 1.00 ERA (18.0 IP, 2 ER) over his last three outings.

ROAD WARRIOR

• Has tossed at least six innings in all three of his road starts this season, going 1-2 with a 2.84 ERA (19.0 IP, 6 ER).
• Has gone 5-7 with a 3.04 ERA (106.2 IP, 36 ER) in 19 starts on the road over the past three seasons, the seventh-lowest road ERA in the NL over that span.
• Posted a 2.23 road ERA (60.2 IP, 15 ER) in 10 road starts since last year’s All-Star Break, the second-lowest road ERA in the Majors over that span (min. 40 IP).

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

• Has gone 3-2 with a 3.34 ERA (32.1 IP, 12 ER) in six starts at home this season … quality starts in four of his six.
• Career record of 31-26 (Rockies 49-35) with a 4.66 ERA (445.2 IP, 231 ER) in 84 appearances (81 starts) at Coors Field … ERA seventh all-time at Coors Field among pitchers with at least 40 starts.

GIDDY UP

• Making his fourth career start against the Rangers, with all four coming in Arlington … has gone 1-0 (Rockies 2-1) with a 3.21 ERA (14.0 IP, 5 ER) in his three starts.
• Left his last start against the Rangers on Sept. 1, 2021 after one inning with a left hip impingement.
• Has a 5-3 record with a 3.20 ERA (70.1 IP, 25 ER) in 13 career starts in AL ballparks … has not allowed more than two runs in his last five starts in AL parks since 2020, going 2-1 with a 2.10 ERA (25.2 IP, 6 ER) with only one home run allowed.

TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:

WINS AND LOSSES: Texas defeated the Rockies in their series opener yesterday, 7-2, and are now 2-2 on this 7-day, 6-game homestand vs. ATL (1-2) and COL (1-0 + 2 G)…TEX has won 3 of 5, 6 of 9 and 9 of 13…TEX is 13-6 in last 19 G…TEX is 13-10 in last 23 G, but still 20-12 in last 32 G and 23-13 in last 36 G beg. 4/9…have a 24-17 record last 41 G since club’s 3-0 start to the season…club has 5 different win streaks of 3+ G in 2023 (season-best 4-0 both 4/16-19 and 4/28-5/2)…team totaled 7 wins streaks of 3+ G in all of 2022.

• At 27-17 (.614), TEX owns the 3rd-best record in A.L. and 5th-best in MLB (see chart)…club’s 27 wins rank T3rd in A.L./ T5th in MLB (33-TB, 29-LAD/BAL, 28-ATL, 27-TEX/NYY).
• The 27-17 start marks Rangers’ best 44-G start to a season since 2013 (29-15), one of the 6 best starts in club history.
• TEX is a season high-tying 10 G above .500 for the 3rd time this season (also 5/17 and 5/14)…this campaign’s 3 instances at the 10-over mark the club’s 1st time(s) to be 10-over since 6/28/19 (46-36), and 5/14 was the earliest date to reach 10-over in a season since 2013 (May 11).

BEST RECORDS IN MLB, 2023
Win Pct. Team W-L
.717 Tampa Bay 33-13
.644 Baltimore 29-16
.636 Atlanta 28-16
.630 Los Angeles-NL 29-17
.614 Texas 27-17

STANDINGS: Rangers hold a 2.0-game lead in the A.L. West after entering Monday with a season-best 4.0-G lead…this still marks the latest point in a season for Texas to hold a lead of 2.0+ G in the division since finishing the 2016 campaign 9.0 GA of 2nd-place Seattle…the 2.0-G lead over 2nd-place Houston is the smallest division advantage in the A.L. entering today and 2nd smallest in MLB (MIL and PIT are tied for the N.L. Central lead)…TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 49 of the season’s first 50 days (exception: 4/8).

SERIES STUFF: TEX is now 8-7 in series openers in ’23… club has gone 4-1-1 in last 6 series and 8-2-1 in last 11… team is 9-4-1 overall in series this year, going 5-2-1 at home 4-2-0 on the road…club did not win a 9th series in 2022 until 6/27-29 at KC…TEX won 4 straight series 4/10-23, longest such span since going 5-0-0 from 6/15-7/1/18…TEX is 3-1-1 in last 5 series at GLF…club in winless (0-3-1) in last 4 series vs. N.L. clubs after season-opening sweep vs. PHI (3-0).

AT HOME: The Rangers are 14-8 (.636) at home this season, this after starts of 10-12 in 2022 and 2021 at GLF the last 2 years…the .636 home win pct. is T4th in A.L. and T5th in MLB (20-3, .870-TB; 17-7, .708-LAD; 15-8, .652-BAL; 13- 7, .650-TOR; 14-8, .636-MIN/TEX)…TEX has a 100-114 all-time record at Globe Life Field (2020-23), but are 20-15 last 35 G here (beg. 9/11/22)…TEX leads MLB in R/G (6.32) at home in 2023, and 139 R are 2nd-most in the Majors…team is also 3rd in MLB w/ 1.64 HR/G at home, this after ranking 9th in Majors at 1.25 HR/G at home in 2022.

VS. COLORADO: This 3-G weekend series at Globe Life Field marks the only meeting between the Rangers and Rockies in 2023…clubs have faced one another in each of the last 4 seasons (beg. 2020), with TEX going 7-10 in that span…COL leads the all-time series, 27-26, but Texas holds a 15-12 advantage in Arlington (4-5 at Globe Life Field).

• TEX is 7-8 in Interleague play this season, losing 3 of 5 and 8 of last 12 G, but are 6-3 vs. N.L. at Globe Life Field in ‘23…club is 11-5 in last 16 Interleague games at GLF (beg. 4/30/22).

ROCKY REUNION: Jon Gray will face the Colorado Rockies for the 1st time since signing with the Rangers as a free agent in 2021…COL’s Opening Day starter in 2017 and 2018, Gray ranks among the Rockies’ all-time leaders in strikeouts (2nd, 849), starts (5th, 151), innings (6th, 829.1) and wins (T7th, 53)…he owns a .633 (31-18) career winning percentage at Coors Field, the 3rd-best mark among COL pitchers (min. 40 starts), and struck out 10+ batters in a game 15 times (tied with Pedro Astacio for most in club history)…he is also the only player in COL history to have 3 games of 12-or-more SO and 4 starts with double-digit SO and 0 BB.

BOMBI’S WORLD: Adolis García enters today’s slate leading the A.L. in both HR (14) and RBI (MLB-best 48), as his 48 RBI are the T3rd-most in WSH/TEX franchise history (beg. 1961) through the team’s first 44 G of a season (see chart)…García and Josh Hamilton in 2012 (18 HR/48 RBI)
are the only 2 players in Senators/Rangers history with 14+ HR and 48+ RBI over the club’s first 44 G of a campaign… García has homered in a career-high 3 straight games, all at GLF (4 total HR) and 4 of his last 5 G (5 total HR)… the 3-G run ties the longest HR streak by a Ranger in 2023 (also Marcus Semien from 4/16-18)…10 of his 14 HR this season have come at GLF, the most HR at home by any batter in MLB.

MOST RBI THROUGH FIRST 44 TEAM GAMES IN A SEASON, SENATORS/RANGERS HISTORY
beg. 1961
RBI Player Year
51 Juan González 1998
49 Josh Hamilton 2008
48 Adolis García 2023
48 Josh Hamilton 2012
46 Jeff Burroughs 1974

BOUNCING BACK: Martín Pérez logged season highs in both innings (7.0) and pitches (104) last night, producing his 1st ultra-quality start (7.0+ IP, 2-or-fewer ER) of the campaign (W, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R-ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 104 pitches/72 strikes)… Pérez improved to 5-1 on the season and his 5 wins are tied with Nathan Eovaldi for the team lead…it marked his 60th career win as a Ranger, as he is just the 11th pitcher (4th lefthander) to reach that plateau with the club…the other lefties on the list? Kenny Rogers (133), Derek Holland (62), and Darren Oliver (60)…last night’s outing was just the 2nd of Pérez’s career in which he logged 7.0+ IP and 7+ strikeouts without issuing a walk (also 7.0 IP, 8 SO, 0 BB on 5/18/17 vs. PHI w/ TEX).

FAMILIAR FOES: Texas manager Bruce Bochy and Colorado manager Bud Black will face off for the 212th time in their careers (regular season) during tonight’s game…Bochy’s 105 wins and 211 games managed against Black are his most against an opposing manager.

BRUCE BOCHY’S MOST COMMON MANAGERIAL OPPONENTS (REG. SEASON)
Games Opp. Manager Record
211 Bud Black 105-106
194 Clint Hurdle 87-107
194 Dusty Baker 83-111
173 Jim Tracy 96-77
138 Felipe Alou 67-71

SHORTS: Corey Seager is 4-for-last-4, 6-for-last-7, and 13-for-last 19 against COL starter Kyle Freeland, with a career .619 BA and 1.446 OPS… Ezequiel Duran reached base a career-high 4 times last night (3-3, 2B, BB) and has batted .336/.377/.579/.956 (36-107) with 6 HR, 8 2B, and 21 RBI over his last 28 G (beg. 4/18) to raise his season BA from .150 to .307…TEX improved to a 3-1 record while wearing their Nike City Connect uniforms…today’s game is expected to be played with the roof closed…TEX is 8-4 at GLF with the roof closed vs. 6-4 with the roof open in 2023.

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #22 Jon Gray, RHP
(3-1, 3.15)

TODAY: The 31-year-old right-hander is set to make his 9th appearance/start of the season in today’s middle game of this weekend set vs. Colorado…former Rockie (2015-21) is facing his former team for the 1st time (see below)…Gray has quality starts in 3 of last 4 outings, and is 2-0, 0.60 ERA (1 R-ER/15.0 IP) last 2 starts to drop season ERA from 4.40 to 3.15, lowest since 4/9 (3.00)… enters today with a streak of 14.0 consecutive scoreless innings…has logged at least 5.0 innings in 7 of 8 starts, as 45.2 IP are 3rd-most on club (60.1-Eovaldi, 49.1-Pérez)…6 of Gray’s 7 HR allowed in ‘23 have been solo shots…this is Gray’s 2nd season with Texas after signing a 4-year free agent contract with the club on 12/1/21…was hindered by several injuries last season, but still managed to post a 7-7 record, 3.96 ERA (56 ER/127.1 IP), and 134 strikeouts over 24 starts…prior to joining the Rangers, the right-hander had spent his entire pro career with Colorado, ranking 3rd in Rockies history with 849 strikeouts while also placing among the all-time team leaders with 151 starts, 829.1 innings, and 53 wins from 2015-21…was the 3rd overall selection by Colorado in the 2013 MLB Draft after pitching 2 seasons at the U. of Oklahoma…is a native of the Oklahoma City area, growing up in nearby Chandler…Texas is 4-4 in Gray’s 8 starts in 2023.

OF LATE: Gray has quality starts in 3 of last 4 outings, and is 2-0, 0.60 ERA (1 R-ER/15.0 IP) last 2 starts to drop season ERA from 4.40 to 3.15, lowest since 4/9 (3.00)…enters today’s start with 14.0 consecutive scoreless innings since last run allowed in 1st inn. on 5/8 at SEA (Ty France solo HR)…the current 14.0-IP scoreless streak is 3rd-longest active run in A.L. and matches the longest of his career (4x, also 5/1-13/18 w/ COL, and 6/12-22/22, 7/13-27/22 w/ TEX)…over his last 2 starts, has produced 2 of the 5 highest games scores of his Rangers career: 79 game score on Sat. at OAK (2nd-highest) and 73 game score on 5/8 at SEA (T4th-highest).

LAST START: Earned win in last start on Sat. at OAK, a 5-0 TEX victory (W, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 95 pitches/66 strikes)…began the start w/ 6.2 hitless innings before a Jace Peterson 2-out single to RF in the 7th…it was the longest no-hit bid by a TEX starter since 4/15/18 at HOU, when Bartolo Colon retired the first 21 Astros before allowing a walk (Carlos Correa) and double (Josh Reddick) to open the 7th inning in an ESPN Sunday Night Baseball contest…Nathaniel Lowe hit a solo HR in the 4th inning that gave TEX a 3-0 lead, and Ezequiel Duran sealed the contest with a 2-R HR in the 9th…Gray surpassed 1000.0 career innings during the start, reaching the milestone when he recorded the 2nd but of the 6th inning.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: Former Rockie (2015-21) still ranks among all-time COL franchise leaders in SO (3rd, 849), wins (T7th, 53), starts (7th, 151), and innings (8th, 829.1)…this will be the 1st time Gray has ever pitched against Colorado, the team that selected him in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the 2013 MLB Draft…Rox are last of the 30 active MLB franchises that Gray has yet to face in his career.

INTERLEAGUE: Has made 3 Interleague starts in 2023: 1-0, 4.76 (9 ER/17.0 IP), with TEX going 2-1 in those 3 contests…also has 3 career starts vs. N.L. at Globe Life Field w/ TEX in 2022-23: 1-0, 4.02 (7 ER/15.2 IP)…or his career, is 11-4, 3.75 (59 ER/141.2 IP) in 25 G/GS in Interleague play.

GLOBE LIFE FIELD / AT HOME: Gray is 0-1, 4.76 (9 ER/17.0 IP) in 3 starts at GLF in 2023, and has just 11 total home starts in his Rangers career spanning 2022-23: 4-2, 3.75 (25 ER/60.0 IP)…made season debut on 4/3 vs. BAL (6.1 IP, 2 R-ER), taking a loss despite a quality start in Rangers’ 2-0 defeat…left with a no decision on 4/21 vs. OAK where he matched a career high with 5 walks…in 2022, made twice as many starts on the road (16) than at Globe Life Field (8)…started the 2nd ever game at this facility on on 7/25/20 at TEX w/ COL (4.2 IP, 1 R-ER), a 3-2 Rockies win…retired first 8 BF prior to Mathis’ 2-out triple in the 3rd inning

• Gray has seen far better results in 5 starts on the road (3-0, 2.20 ERA) than in his 3 starts in Arlington (0-1, 4.76 ERA) this season…despite calling hitter-friendly Coors Field home for the 1st 7 years of his MLB career (2015-21), still owns better lifetime marks at home (35-20, 4.44 ERA) than on the road (28-37, 4.45 ERA).