Colorado Rockies game no. 1 thread: Clayton Kershaw vs. Germán Márquez

Rockies open 2021 at home against reigning champion Dodgers

We have arrived! The Colorado Rockies will play an on-time Opening Day this year, welcoming fans to a game at Coors Field for the first time in 550 days.

Colorado will take on the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field in front of 21,363 fans (42.6 percent capacity). The nationally-televised matchup will feature a perennial Colorado ace on the mound against a likely first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Germán Márquez gets his second consecutive Opening Day start in his sixth season with the Rockies. After today, he will tie Ubaldo Jiménez, Jorge De La Rosa, Jon Gray and five others for the Rockies’ all-time lead in Opening Day starts. Márquez will look to quickly shake off a 5.68 ERA in the Cactus League; he made five spring appearances for a combined 19 innings. His 2020 campaign featured a far better ERA on the road (2.06) than at home (5.68), but he comes equipped with 50 career starts at Coors Field.

Clayton Kershaw gets his ninth career nod for Opening Day with the Dodgers. Today would be his 10th if not for being scratched just before the opener last year. Kershaw enters a contract year on the heels of his first career World Series title, and a 10.22 ERA in spring training has left many wondering what version of Kershaw we will see in 2021. He’ll look to break the ice at the unfriendly pitching confines of 20th and Blake; his career ERA of 4.44 at Coors Field (23 starts) is his worst of any active ballpark.

2021 is the first year since 2011 that the Rockies will begin the regular season at home. Colorado is 15-13 all time on both Opening Day and in their home opener.

Start Time: 2:10 p.m. MDT

TV: ESPN

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups:

Los Angeles Dodgers – Manager: Dave Roberts

1. Mookie Betts, RF
2. Corey Seager (L), SS
3. Justin Turner, 3B
4. Cody Bellinger (L), CF
5. Max Muncy (L), 1B
6. Chris Taylor, LF
7. Gavin Lux (L), 2B
8. Austin Barnes, C
9. Clayton Kershaw (L), P

Colorado Rockies – Manager: Bud Black

1. Raimel Tapia (L), LF
2. Josh Fuentes, 3B
3. Trevor Story, SS
4. Charlie Blackmon (L), RF
5. C.J. Cron, 1B
6. Elias Díaz, C
7. Chris Owings, 2B
8. Garrett Hampson, CF
9. Germán Márquez, P