The road hasn’t been kind to the Colorado Rockies in 2024, but things have been much different in Denver.
The Rockies have won four of their last five series at home, a stretch of good fortune that could turn this week in a four-game set against the Miami Marlins.
However, if the Rockies can rebound from a ninth-inning collapse on Tuesday and win the next two games, they will take their fifth home series since July 1. They will attempt to take the first step Wednesday night when they continue their series vs. the Marlins.
Miami will send right-hander Max Meyer (3-3, 5.44 ERA) to the mound while Colorado will counter with left-hander Kyle Freeland (3-6, 5.70).
The Rockies are 19-50 on the road this season but 30-34 at home. They recorded a 3-2 win over the Marlins on Monday but let a four-run lead in the ninth slip away in a 9-8 loss on Tuesday night. The late collapse spoiled a two-homer night by young shortstop Ezequiel Tovar.
Freeland can erase that memory with a good outing Wednesday. The Denver native has a 3.84 ERA in 11 starts since returning from the 60-day injured list with a left elbow strain.
Freeland has just three wins in those starts and twice has had to leave outings due to a blister on his pitching hand. When he has been able to stay in games, he has shown an improved command from the spring.
“He regained his form,” manager Bud Black said. “But I think it’s velocity, and the secondary pitches have been down — knees and below. The secondary pitches have been consistently in good spots.”
Freeland is 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) against the Marlins.
Freeland isn’t the only pitcher trying to regain his form. Meyer has worked his way back from Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2023 season. He began the year with Miami and pitched well, winning two of his first three starts and posting a 2.12 ERA.
He was sent to the minors for three months before being recalled July 27 to face Milwaukee and pitched four innings against the Brewers that night, giving up three runs and four hits. He stumbled after that, allowing at least four runs in four consecutive outings before getting a quality start — three runs over six innings — in his team’s 6-3 loss to Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Meyer, who has never faced Colorado, has relied on his fastball and slider in the past, but since his return to the majors he has tried to mix in his changeup more. Manager Skip Schumaker said it can be an effective pitch for him.
“We wanted to see him throw that a lot more in general,” Schumaker said. “We feel like that’s going to be a really good pitch for him in the future, and we wanted to see him continue to develop that pitch. We think it can be a real weapon. So I’m proud of him to throw it, and throw it with confidence.”
–Field Level Media
