COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
DOWN THE STRETCH
- The Colorado Rockies continue their penultimate road trip of the 2023 season tonight with the second of three games at Arizona … following this series and an off day on Thursday, will play three games at San Francisco, including Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN on Sunday. The Rockies went 1-5 on their six-game homestand against Atlanta (0-3) and Toronto (1-2) … have gone 2-12 over their last 14 games since Aug. 20 and 8-23 since Aug.1 … the Rockies went 7-20 in August, the most losses in the month in franchise history. Since Aug. 7, 23 of the Rockies 26 games have come against teams with winning records … 22 of the 25 games remaining on the schedule are also against teams above .500, with the lone games against a non-winning team coming against San Diego Sept. 18-20.
DON’T GO WEST YOUNG MAN
- The Rockies have gone 2-9 against Arizona this season, including a four-game sweep in Arizona May 29-June 1 … their .182 winning percentage against the D-backs is the second-worst in franchise history behind the 2008 club (3-15, .167) and just ahead of the 2002 club (5-14, .263). Colorado has yet to win a series against an NL West club this season, having gone 8-28 overall against NL West clubs in 2023 … the Rockies’ .222 winning percentage against the NL West is the worst in franchise history.
NAME TAGS
- The Rockies have used a franchise record 56 total players this season, surpassing the previous mark of 55 players used in 2011 … have used a franchise record 33 total pitchers, two more than the 2019 club’s 31 hurlers … have also tied the franchise record by using 15 different starting pitchers this season (also: 1993 and 2014).
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
- Hunter Goodman has hit safely in six of his first seven career games, going 9-for-24 with three doubles, one triple and seven RBI … is the third Rockie in franchise history to have at least nine hits, four extra-base hits and seven RBI through their first seven career games, joining Trevor Story (2016) and Nolan Arenado (2013). 13-year veteran Charlie Blackmon has reached base in all 19 games since being reinstated from the injured list on Aug. 14, tied for the second-longest active streak in the Majors and tied for his season-best streak, also reaching in 19 consecutive games from May 6-June 1 … is slashing .353/.470/.529 over this stretch, the fifth-best OBP in the Majors since Aug. 14. Blackmon’s 744 career RBI are one shy of tying Vinny Castilla for the sixth-most in franchise history and five shy of tying former teammate Carlos González for the fifth-most. Along with Freddie Freeman (.312), Charlie Blackmon (.300) is the only other player in the Majors to have a .300 average since 2016 (min. 1000 games).
IN WITH THE NEW
- With two stolen bases on Sunday, rookie Nolan Jones became the first rookie in franchise history to steal at least 10 bases while hitting 10-plus home runs … his 14 home runs are tied with Matt Holliday (2004) for the sixth-most by a rookie in franchise history, while his 19.79 at-bats-per-home-run rate ranks as the third-best in franchise history (min. 250 AB), trailing Trevor Story (13.78, 2016) and Wilin Rosario (14.14, 2012) and just ahead of Todd Helton (21.20, 1998). 22-year-old Ezequiel Tovar is the fifth rookie in franchise history to hit 15 home runs in a season, joining Wilin Rosario (28, 2012), Trevor Story (27, 2016), Todd Helton (25, 1998) and Troy Tulowitzki (24, 2007). Tovar also ranks among all-time Rockies rookies in extra-base hits (49, 4th), RBI (64, 6th), doubles (31, T-4th) and hits (125, 7th). Tovar and Jones are the first pair of Rockies rookies in franchise history to each hit at least 14 home runs.
GOLDEN GLOW
- Ryan McMahon’s 17 defensive runs saved are the sixth-most in the Majors and are the second-most among all third basemen. Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar’s 10 DRS are tied for the fifth-most among all shortstops, tied for third in the NL at shortstop … his .986 fielding percentage second to Troy Tulowitzki (.987, 2007) for the best fielding percentage by a rookie shortstop in Major League history (min. 100 games) (via. STATS PERFORM). Center fielder Brenton Doyle’s 15.0 UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating), which factors in arm strength, range and errors, is the best in baseball, leading second-place Fernado Tatis Jr. with a 10.6 UZR (FanGraphs) … the Braves’ Michael Harris II is the nearest center fielder with a 5.7 UZR … Doyle’s active 98-game errorless streak is the longest in franchise history and seventh-longest active streak in the Majors (second in the NL).
STRONG ARMED
- Jones (98.6 MPH) and rookie center fielder Brenton Doyle (96.5 MPH) rank first and seventh, respectively, among all Major Leaguers in average arm strength … Doyle’s arm strength leads all center fielders. Saturday, Brenton Doyle recorded the fastest-tracked outfield throw in the Statcast Era (since 2015), a 105.7 MPH throw to hold a runner at third, and the fastest outfield assist in the Majors this season, a 100.9 MPH to get a runner at third. Doyle owns the six strongest outfield assists this season by a center fielder and five of the top 10 overall strongest outfield assists. Nolan Jones’ 12 outfield assists are tied the second-most in the Majors and tied for the ninth most in a season in franchise history despite only 65 starts in the outfield.
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #21 KYLE FREELAND LHP
DENVER KID
- Kyle Freeland will make his 27th start of the season tonight, his 13th 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.
HEAT
- Has made two starts against Arizona this season, going 0-2 with a 6.17 ERA (11.2 IP, 5 ER) … in 19 career games vs. the D-Backs, is 3-8 with a 5.49 ERA (103.1 IP, 63 ER) … has pitched six or more innings in four of his last five starts vs. the Snakes.
LAST TIME OUT
- Was tagged for seven runs, six earned, through 5.2 innings on Aug. 30 against Atlanta … four of six runs scored in the sixth inning with one inherited runner scoring off Evan Justice. Matched a season-high with three home runs allowed, his fourth time hitting that mark this season … one of four pitchers (tied for the second-most) with four or more three-home run outings this season … his nine career games with at least three home runs are the second-most in franchise history trailing Pedro Astacio (12x). Has walked one or fewer batters through his last seven starts, a streak that is the longest of his career.
THE DROUGHT IS OVER
- Earned his first win since May 14 on Aug. 19 vs. the White Sox, allowing four runs in five innings in an 11-5 win … snapped a streak of nine-straight losing decisions, the longest stretch of his career and the fifth-longest in franchise history.
BACK IN ACTION
- Has gone 1-4 with a 6.45 ERA (37.2 IP, 27 ER) in seven starts since being reinstated from the injured list on July 28 … has allowed three or more runs in each game during that span with a high of six in his last time out … placed on the IL on July 14 with a right shoulder subluxation after diving for a ground ball.
SUPPORT SYSTEM
- Has averaged 3.52 runs of support this season, the second-lowest mark among qualified ML pitchers … 4.65 career RSA is the second-lowest in franchise history (min. 50 GS), trailing Shawn Chacon (4.11). Has received a total of 20 runs of support in his 12 road starts this season, a 2.66 average that is the lowest on the road in the Majors … has received no runs in six of road 12 starts.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
- Gone 4-5 with a 5.05 ERA (73.0 IP, 41 ER), 21 walks and 64 strikeouts in 14 home starts with the Rockies 7-7. Career record of 32-29 (Rockies 53-39) with a 4.81 ERA (486.1 IP, 279 ER) in 92 appearances (89 starts) at Coors Field … 32 wins at home the fourth-most in franchise history, ERA seventh.
BY THE NUMBERS: THIS VS. THAT
Season K/9 BB/9 HR/9
2021 7.83 2.83 1.49
2022 6.75 2.73 0.98
2023 5.69 2.43 1.79
Career 6.78 3.01 1.25
ROAD WARRIOR
- Has suffered a losing decision in nine of his last 11 road starts since winning his first start of the season on March 31 at San Diego, allowing 40 earned runs across 61.2 innings (5.84 ERA) … lost eight-straight decisions prior to his no decision on Aug. 8 in Milwaukee, a 7-3 Rockies win … was the second pitcher in franchise history to lose at least eight-straight road starts, joining John Thomson, who lost 10-straight road starts from Sept. 19, 1998-Aug. 8, 2001. Has not earned a winning decision on the road since his first start of the year on March 31 in San Diego, tossing 6.0 shutout innings with three hits, one walk and one strikeout in a 4-1 Rockies win. Has gone 5-14 with a 4.06 ERA (155.1 IP, 70 ER) in 27 starts on the road over the past two seasons.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
No team release available.
