The Rockies beat the Cubs in the Wild Card Game last October. That wasn’t much fun.
Now both teams are back in contention. For more on the Rockies, here’s Eric Garcia McKinley, managing editor of our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row.
What should Cubs fans know about the Rockies?
The phrase that reveals a not very complex and overall inaccurate perception of the Colorado Rockies is “you just know they’re gonna hit.” Historically, the Rockies haven’t had a lot of great offenses when adjusted for Coors Field. Everyone knows the Rockies’ home ballpark inflates offensive stats, and yet the numbers still deceive.
That’s why I found it curious but unsurprising when I when I was asked on a radio show before the season started if the pitching was going to be able to hold up in 2019, allowing the Rockies to make the postseason for a third consecutive season. The Rockies’ greatest strength in 2018 was its starting rotation, and because the young and reliable core was set to come back in 2019, it looked like it would be the strength once again. Contrary to popular opinion, it was the offense we needed to worry about.
Well, it hasn’t turned out that way. It’s been the opposite. Aside from German Márquez, the rotation has been a liability. Kyle Freeland had the best-pitched season in team history in 2018 and came in fourth in NL Cy Young voting. He just got optioned to Triple-A on account of an ERA over 7.00. Tyler Anderson may miss the entire rest of the season after knee surgery. And Jon Gray remains an enigma. You’ll see him in the series finale on Thursday.
The offense, however, has been on fire and has kept the team in contention. The Rockies started the season 3-12, but since then they’ve gone 28-15. Almost every regular, even the much maligned Ian Desmond, has a wRC+ above 100 since then. Nolan Arenado, in particular, has been playing the best baseball of his career. He’s hitting .380/.429/.754, with a wRC+ of 185, since April 14.
So what should Cubs fans know about the Rockies ahead of this series? They’re gonna hit, I guess.
Fun fact
Not so fun for the Cubs: Their .440 winning percentage (11-14) against the Rockies since they returned to contention in 2015 is their worst against any N.L. team, and the Rockies are the only N.L. team the Cubs don’t have at least a .500 mark against during that span. And that’s not even including that Wild Card Game.
Pitching matchups
Tuesday: Kyle Hendricks, RHP (5-4, 3.09 ERA, 1.114 WHIP, 3.25 FIP) vs. Jeff Hoffman, RHP (1-1, 7.20 ERA, 1.600 WHIP, 4.55 FIP)
Wednesday: Yu Darvish, RHP (2-3, 5.02 ERA, 1.557 WHIP, 5.31 FIP) vs. German Marquez, RHP (6-2, 3.48 ERA, 1.137 WHIP, 3.28 FIP)
Thursday: Jose Quintana, LHP (4-4, 3.78 ERA, 1.320 WHIP, 3.75 FIP) vs. Jon Gray, RHP (5-4, 4.11 ERA, 1.286 WHIP, 4.30 FIP)
Times & TV channels
Tuesday: 7:05 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Chicago
Wednesday: 7:05 p.m. CT, WGN, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Rockies market territories)
Thursday: 1:20 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Chicago
Prediction
The Rockies are hot and the Cubs are not right now. One thing Colorado has not done well this year, though, is win on the road. They are just 13-15 away from Coors Field, and as is typically the case for Rockies teams, they don’t hit on the road (.679 OPS) the way they do at home (.891 OPS). They have lost five of their last eight road games, so I think the Cubs can right the ship and take two of three in this series.
Up next
The Cubs have another weekend date with the Cardinals, this time at Wrigley Field, for a three-game series beginning Friday afternoon.
Poll
How many games will the Cubs win against the Rockies?
This poll is closed
-
24%
3
-
55%
2
-
16%
1
-
3%
0