Series Preview: SF Giants at Rockies - series details and how to watch

The SF Giants are recovering from a rocky homestand as they head to face the NL West rival Rockies. Will the elevation bring their bats back to life?

Six weeks ago, the Giants flew to Mexico City and played a rabbit ball version of baseball. They scored 15 runs on 22 hits in the two games they played there. It was an absolute bonanza. 

It was also the only time they've played at elevation this year. With the new balanced schedules, the Giants will face off against the Rockies for the first time in early June. They won't return until mid-September, and then that'll be it. 

The Giants can only hope that the wispy-thin air of Coors Field will rejuvenate a lineup that's underperformed in their last two series. It hasn't been all bad - San Francisco walloped the Brewers a week and a half ago en route to 15 runs, then just three games later, put up another football score in a 14-4 rout of the Pirates.

Problem is, they then went 1-4 in their next five games, enduring a mini slump where they scored just 2.8 runs a game. Part of that falls on rookies Patrick Bailey and Casey Schmitt, who have both seen their batting averages fall below .300. Part of that falls on the starting rotation, as Alex Wood and Anthony DeSclafani both flamed out in important starts against contending teams. All of it has conspired to push the Giants back below .500, where they've been struggling to escape from all year.

As inconsistent as things have been all year, there's no better place to turn on the jets than in a rocket-powered offensive environment at Coors Field. Thairo Estrada will make his return from the Injured List, and for all the strain that Coors can put on a pitching staff, kickstarting their offense with a few crooked numbers against a struggling Rockies team could be just what the doctor ordered.

As we head into this mid-week series, a moment of appreciation for the late skipper Roger Craig. His tenure in San Francisco was before my time, but by all accounts, his unbridled enthusiasm and enduring optimism helped turn around decades of misery for the Giants. That energy was critical to proving that Giants baseball could be truly fun, and in turn, helped keep baseball in San Francisco during those critical years in the 90's. For that, I'm eternally grateful. 

So, here's to the Giants finding life in Denver, and making this season fun. And in case the Giants do turn things around and start playing the kind of baseball they couldn't last year, we've got you covered with detailed instructions on how, when, and where to watch below. Humm baby.

Series details:

Who: SF Giants at Colorado Rockies
Where: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
When: June 6-8, Tuesday (5:40 PM), Wednesday (5:40 PM), and Thursday (12:10 PM). All times Pacific.

Giants' current streak: L1, 5-5 in last 10, 29-30 overall

Rockies' current streak: L1, 4-6 in last 10, 26-35 overall

Projected starters:

Tuesday: John Brebbia** (2-0, 3.80 ERA) vs. Dinelson Lamet (1-2, 13.17 ERA)

Wednesday: Logan Webb (4-6, 2.85 ERA) vs. TBD

Thursday: TBD vs. TBD

*Indicates LHP

**Indicates opener

How to watch, listen:

• SF Giants broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area, KNBR 680/1510 AM
• Rockies broadcast: ATT SportsNet-RM, KOA 850/KNRV 1150 AM, 94.1 FM
• National broadcasts: MLB Network (Wednesday and Thursday, out-of-network only)