Diamondbacks at Rockies Preview for April 28th

A trip to Coors Field is never easy on a pitching staff, but the hitters love it.

The Diamondbacks (14-12) are in Colorado tonight to take on the Rockies  (8-18) at Coors Field. Game time is 5:40 P.M. MST 

Television

D-backs - Bally Sports Arizona, Rockies - ATT SportsNet-RM

Radio

D-backs - ESPN Phoenix 620, KHOV Univision 105.1, Rockies - KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM , KNRV 1150

The D-backs had an off day yesterday following a 2-1 series win against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday to climb back into first place.  Zac Gallen extended his scoreless innings streak to 28 in that game, but will not pitch in this series. The D-backs currently hold a one game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West.  The Rockies also had an off day yesterday following an inter-league series with the Cleveland Guardians. They also took two of three games, but dropped the finale in the attempt at a sweep. Despite the series win the Rockies are in last place in the NL West.

This is the first game of the season between the two teams. Last year the Rockies took the season series 10-9.  The D-backs went 4-5 in Coors field last year. 

Pitching Matchup

Jack Sommers

Note: aWAR is the average of Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs WAR. 

Merrill Kelly and Kyle Freeland are fairly evenly matched. They both have similar park adjusted run prevention, (ERA+) and WAR.  Both have a FIP that is over a run higher than their ERA.  In Kelly's case that is due to an inordinate amount of walks. He came into the season with a career 6.9% walk rate. So far this season that has more than doubled to 15.7%.  He's walked four or more batters in four of his five starts, including five walks and four runs in a loss to San Diego in his most recent start.

Freeland on the other hand has been giving up the long ball, having allowed six home runs already. In his most recent start in Philadelphia he gave up three homers in a 4-3 loss to the Phillies. 

Lineups

MLB.com

The Rockies have struggled mightily on offense this year, posting just a 77 team OPS+. Among Rockies hitters in the lineup tonight, Kris Bryant and C.J. Cron have had the most success against Kelly, and Bryant has been their hottest hitter, going 7-18, .389 over the last 6 games. 

Baseball-Reference

The D-backs go with their mostly right handed lineup tonight. Evan Longoria, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, and Nick Ahmed all have  good numbers against Freeland and all have homered off him in the past.  Rookie Corbin Carroll has a 154 OPS+, and has not had any trouble handling left-hand pitching, batting 11 for 27, .407 with a double and a homer against southpaws this year. 

Baseball-Reference

Closer

Since Daniel Bard was lost to injury, Rockies manager Bud Black has turned to Pierce Johnson on the rare occasion there has been a save opportunity. So far he is three for three.  Torey Lovullo is using a closer by committee system, but Andrew Chafin has been getting more ninth inning save chances than anyone else, as he has four of the team's seven saves to date. 

Putting Coors Field Generated Statistics Into Context

Merrill Kelly Falters Late in D-backs Loss to Padres

Zac Gallen Extends Scoreless Streak to 28 Innings in Victory