Diamondbacks Must Salvage Series Finale in Colorado

The Diamondbacks are on the brink of disaster if they can't salvage Wednesday's series finale in Colorado.

Sep 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first base Christian Walker (53) celebrates his solo home run in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks are entering Wednesday's matchup with the Colorado Rockies in disaster mode. They have lost each of the two first games of the series and are now backed against a wall with a potential sweep awaiting them.

They still hold a 2 game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the 3rd Wild Card spot, but the Mets have control over the 2nd spot now with the tiebreaker between Arizona and New York coming into play. The Diamondbacks must win the series finale against the Rockies, or else things will get incredibly dire for the team's playoff hopes.

Starting Pitchers

Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP, 2-3, 5.50 ERA, 4.83 FIP in 34.1 IP

Eduardo Rodriguez is a big question mark for the Diamondbacks. He has shown both positive and negative signs since coming back from the injured list in August. His 5.50 ERA does not look good but his expected numbers have Rodriguez performing somewhat better, with only a 4.83 FIP.

Much of this difference comes from his limited sample size, but it is important to note that he has suffered from some bad luck, and is coming back from an injury that kept him out for nearly the entire season. In Wednesday's matchup against the Rockies he needs to keep the Diamondbacks ahead.

Location on his pitches will be crucial for Rodriguez, as he relies a lot on his finesse and pinpoint locations. We have seen this work well, but there is certainly still room for growth from an arm that could be one of the best starters on the club at his peak.

Austin Gomber, LHP, 5-10, 4.44 ERA, 4.70 FIP in 158 IP

Austin Gomber has been a very good pitcher for the Rockies in 2024. In a rotation that has once again been very underwhelming, the team seems to have something special.

Part of Gomber's game that will need to be overcome is his 38.1% GB rate. The Diamondbacks have given themselves opportunities to rally against the Rockies in previous games, but have more often than not grounded into double plays, and ended up with little to show for their efforts.

Gomber gives great length in his outings, going at least 6 IP in 7 of his last 8 starts. His role as a lefty starting pitcher also shakes out as a tough matchup for the Diamondbacks, with Arizona being significantly better against right-handed starters.

Lineups

Diamondbacks vs Rockies / Aaron Hughes

Christian Walker in 12 games since returning from the Injured list is batting .289. He has also clubbed 3 home runs, including a solo blast in Tuesday's game against the Rockies. Walker is a huge part of the middle of the Diamondbacks' order and is a key right-handed bat in there against the lefty Gomber.

Pavin Smith has been on fire throughout September. In 10 games since September 6th, Smith is batting .440, with 3 home runs and 13 RBI. He clubbed a pair of doubles in Tuesday's game. Any kind of consistent offense is crucial for the D-backs right now, as they have slumped in their last few series, including scoring a total of 4 runs in 2 games against the Rockies.

Ezequiel Tovar for Colorado has crushed the Diamondbacks so far in this series. He has clubbed home runs in back-to-back games, including 3 RBI and 3 runs scored. The Rockies shortstop has also played solid defense and will be a factor in Wednesday's series finale.

The Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Colorado Rockies at 12:10 p.m. Arizona time. Make sure to stay tuned to all things Arizona Diamondbacks ON SI for any breaking news, developing stories, and detailed analysis.