COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
THE DISTRICT
- The Colorado Rockies continue the first road trip of the second half tonight, beginning a three-game set in Washington.
- The Rockies took two of three from the Marlins to begin the road trip, clinching their first series win in Miami since taking two of three from the Marlins Aug. 23-25, 2013 when current Rockies’ Bench Coach Mike Redmond managed the Fish.
- The Rockies entered the road trip coming off a 3-2 homestand after splitting the series with Houston 1-1 and taking two of three from the Yankees last Friday-Sunday … was the club’s first winning homestand since taking five of seven against the Marlins (3-1) and Mets (2-1) May 22-28 … the three consecutive series wins, tacking on Miami, marks the Rockies’ second such streak of the season, their first since May 2-10 against Milwaukee (3-0), at New York-NL (2-1) and at Pittsburgh (2-1).
- The Rockies are 5-3 since the All-Star Break, a .625 winning percentage that is third in the National League.
REINFORCEMENTS
- RHP Jake Bird will get the start for the Rockies’ tonight in the club’s second-consecutive bullpen game … tonight will mark the third career Major League start for the 27-year-old, all of which have come since June 21.
- In his last start on July 18 vs. Houston, Bird allowed three runs, two earned, while tossing 31 pitches.
- Bird was selected by the Rockies in the fifth round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of UCLA … he debuted for the Rockies in 2022, going on to collect a 2-4 record with a 4.91 ERA (47.2 IP, 26 ER) in 38 games in his first season.
THIS FOR THAT
- The Colorado Rockies announced today that they acquired RHP Victor Vodnik and RHP Tanner Gordon from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for RHP Pierce Johnson … Vodnik (10th) and Gordon (26th) were most recently ranked among the Braves top 30 prospects via MLB.com.
- Vodnik, 23, has gone 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA (40.2 IP, 14 ER), 25 walks and 56 strikeouts in 30 relief outings for Double-A Mississippi this season, the third-most appearances in the Southern League … Gordon, 25, has split the 2023 season between Triple-A Gwinnett and Mississippi, combining to go 5-9 with a 5.86 ERA (86.0 IP, 56 ER) in 17 games (16 starts).
START ME UP…PLEASE
- In 2023, the Rockies have had 55 games in which the starter pitched five or more innings, going 31-24 in those contests with a combined ERA of 3.38 ERA (309.1 IP, 116 ER) … in contests where the starter has failed to make it out of the fifth inning, the Rockies are 8-36 with a combined ERA of 12.50 (149.0 IP, 207 ER).
- The club’s 55 starts of five or more innings pitched are tied with San Francisco for the fewest in the Majors … left-handers Kyle Freeland (16) and Austin Gomber (13) lead the club in starts of five or more innings.
POWER PLAY
- Nolan Jones hit his eighth home run of the season Saturday, his third in his last six games … on home runs, his average exit velocity of 109.7 MPH and average distance of 440 feet both lead the Majors among players with eight or more home runs … the second-longest average home run distance is 423 feet held by Evan Longoria, Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Elias Díaz.
- In 11 games in July, Jones is slashing .162/.205/.405 with three of his six hits leaving the yard.
ARM BARN
- The Rockies bullpen has posted an MLB-best 1.81 ERA (54.2 IP, 11 ER) across the club’s last 13 games since July 4, holding opposing hitters to a .193 average (second-lowest in baseball during that span) with an MLB-low four extra-base hits allowed (three 2B, one HR).
- On July 18 vs. Houston, Colorado used six relievers to toss eight scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out five and walking two, the most scoreless innings pitched in a single game all-time by Colorado relievers … Rockies relievers are scoreless in six of the team’s last nine games dating back to July 9.
FREQUENT FLIERS
- The Rockies have used 48 total players this season, tied for the sixth-most in the Majors and their most since using 50 total players in 2019.
- 29 different players have made a pitching appearance, the Rockies’ most pitchers used since a franchise-record 31 different pitchers made an appearance in 2019 … Ty Blach marked the 14th starter for the Rockies in 2023, their most since the 2014 club tied the franchise record with 15 starting pitchers (also: 1993).
THE ROOKIE, THE FATHER
- Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar has begun his Rockies career by starting 101 consecutive games, the longest stretch of consecutive starts without a bench appearance to begin a Rockies’ career, per Elias … the previous streak was 69 games by Trevor Story in 2016.
- The 21-year-old SS ranks among NL rookie leaders in doubles (22, 1st), batting average (.256, 3rd), hits (86, 3rd), extra-base hits (34, 3rd), RBI (46, 3rd), WAR (1.6, T-3rd), triples (three, T-4th), games (92, T-4th) and home runs (nine, T-8th).
- Tovar’s 1.4 defensive WAR is tied for fifth overall in the NL, ranks tied for second among NL shortstops (min. 75% of games at SS) and is tied for the lead among Major League rookies.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
WHISPERING SWEEP NOTHINGS
The Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-1, on Sunday to secure their first series sweep of the season.
- Lane Thomas led the way, going 3-for-4 with a double, RBI, four stolen bases, a diving catch and an outfield assist…The four stolen bases matched a Nationals record (2005-pres.).
- MacKenzie Gore struck out eight batters in 5.0 innings of four-hit, shutout ball to earn his sixth win of the season.
- The Nationals welcome another National League West opponent – the Colorado Rockies – to Nationals Park for a three-game series starting Monday.
STATUS CHECK
The Nationals are 13-11 (.542) since June 24…This stretch includes series victories over the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants.
- Washington has won five straight home games for the first time since June 19-30, 2021…Those five wins came over the Mets and Rays.
LANE TRAIN
Lane Thomas went 6-for-13 (.462) with two doubles, a homer, three RBI, four stolen bases and four runs scored during Washington’s three-game sweep over the Giants.
- He ranks in the National League in hits (4th, 116), average (5th, .295), doubles (T4th, 26) and runs (10th, 67).
- He is tied for first in the National League with a career-high nine outfield assists.
LEADING MAN
Since being moved to the leadoff spot on July 7, CJ Abrams is hitting .380 (19-for-50) with a double, triple, three homers, six RBI, two walks, one hit by pitch, eight stolen bases and 13 runs scored… He’s hit safely in 10 of the 12 and has reached safely in 11 of the 12.
- Beyond the lasts 10 games, he is hitting .347 with a .564 slugging percentage (6 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR) and is 13-for-13 in stolen base attempts over his last 27 games.
- He has stolen 16 consecutive bases without being caught… Abrams was last caught stealing on May 3 vs. Chicago.
BACKSTOP BAT
Keibert Ruiz is 13-for-28 (.464) with four doubles, two homers, six RBI, three walks, one stolen base and six runs scored during his career-best eight-game hitting streak…He’s reached base safely in 17 of 32 plate appearances (.531) during the streak.
CANDY CAN DO IT
Jeimer Candelario is third in the National League with 27 doubles and is tied for eighth with 44 extra-base hits…With 27 doubles and 15 home runs in 92 games, he’s already surpassed his 2022 totals (19 2B, 13 HR in 124 games).
DOM(INATING)
Dominic Smith is hitting .333/.383/.520 over his last 22 games…He has five doubles, three homers, 10 RBI, four walks and nine runs scored over this span.
- He is 9-for-17 (.529) over his last five games…He has four multi-hit games in his four starts over this span.
OK, KYLE
Kyle Finnegan has two saves, four holds and has pitched to a 1.06 ERA (2 ER/17.0 IP) with a .161 opponents’
average (9-for-56) in his last 14 appearances.
- He’s set a new career high and is tied for 10th in the NL with 13 saves this season.
- Finnegan surrendered seven earned runs and three home runs in his first three outings…Since the next outing on April 7 at Colorado, he has pitched to a 1.83 ERA (8 ER/39.1 IP) with 40 strikeouts and three home runs allowed in 36 games.
TOP OF THE HOUR
The Nationals have scored 64 runs in the first inning this season, the fifth-most in Major League Baseball.
- Only the Atlanta Braves (100), Los Angeles Dodgers (77), Houston Astros (68) and San Diego Padres (66) have scored more runs in the first inning this season.
STARTING PITCHER – #46 PATRICK CORBIN
Left-handed pitcher signed a six-year contract with the Nationals on Dec. 7, 2018…Was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series…Is a two-time National League All-Star (2018, 2013)… Has started at least 30 games for five consecutive full seasons (2017-19, 2021-22), joining Gerrit Cole as the only pitchers since 2017 to accomplish the feat.
LAST START
Worked 5.1 innings, allowed three earned runs on six hits, walked one and struck out six hitters on July 18 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field…He took a no decision in the Nationals’ 17-3 defeat.
vs. COLORADO
Is 11-7 with a 4.62 ERA in 27 career appearances against the Rockies, his most common opponent…He made two starts against Colorado in 2022, going 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA (6 ER/ 14.1 IP)…He allowed three earned runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out three in 6.1 innings in his most recent start against the Rockies on May 26, 2022.
RECENCY BIAS
Corbin is 2-1 with a 3.70 ERA (10 ER/24.1 IP), 23 strikeouts and just five walks over his last four starts… He tossed 7.0 shutout innings on June 28 at Seattle (9 SO, 0 BB) and 7.0 innings of one-run ball on July 9 vs. Texas.
