Colorado Rockies game no. 53 thread: Spencer Strider vs. Kyle Freeland

It’s City Connect night!

Tonight marks the on-field debut of the Rockies Nike City Connect jerseys! The threads were revealed on May 27 and fans have been eagerly waiting to see how they look in action. If you’re not able to make it out tonight, though, they will be worn on every home Sunday game for the remainder of the season.

Beyond the jerseys, the Rockies are hoping to turn things around. After starting the season 16-11, they have gone 7-18 since May 8 for a major league-worst .280 winning percentage during that span. They have gone 5-9 at home and 2-9 on the road, and have been outscored 168-119.

Colorado native Kyle Freeland (1-5, 4.96 ERA) will be the starter who gets to debut the City Connects. In his last time out, he tossed a season-high 107 pitches in a losing effort in Washington D.C. — his 26th career game throwing 100+ pitches. He was removed with an ankle injury after 5 ²⁄₃ innings, but luckily it was not serious and he’s able to pitch again today.

Freeland will pitch against Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (1-2, 2.83 ERA). Strider was drafted by the Braves in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Clemson. He made his MLB debut on October 1, 2021 against the New York Mets. Strider has made 11 appearances out of the Atlanta bullpen this season, and tonight marks his second career start. In his last start against Arizona on May 30, Strider pitched a career-high 4 ¹⁄₃ innings and allowed three earned runs (five total) on four hits while walking two and striking out seven. He has never faced the Rockies, nor has he ever pitched against anyone on the current roster.

First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. MDT

TV: AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain; MLB.tv

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

Lineups: