The Colorado Rockies have lost their first five series of the season. Two against the Arizona Diamondbacks, then against the Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays. Their next series starts tonight as they face the 2022 National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. Some of us knew the Rockies had a chance to hit a new low this season. However, their first four opponents have all been teams that can contend for the postseason come October. While the Rockies have another tough opponent on their hands, this is a three-game series that’s an absolute must-win for this Colorado franchise. If the Rockies lose two out of three games or they get swept we could see some changes happen before one month of regular season play concludes.
The Rockies Have to Find Ways to Win
Philadelphia is 8-2 in their last 10 games against Colorado. Cal Quantrill will start for the Rockies, who’s 0-2 through three appearances on the mound take on Aaron Nola, who just signed a huge extension with the Phillies this past offseason. Colorado’s starters have given up an average of six runs a game. With a loaded Phillies lineup this average may go up for the Rockies. The last time we saw Quantrill on the mound he pitched six innings, and gave up three runs on eight hits in a 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks. He will need to have a near-perfect quality start if he’s going to give the Rockies the must-win opportunity and give the Rockies starters their second win on the season.
The Phillies are looking for their seventh win in their last 11 games. They just split a four-game series with the NL Central-leading Pittsburgh Pirates. Before that, they won two out of three games against the St. Louis Cardinals. Opponents have a .267 batting average against Philly’s pitching while giving up nearly four runs a game. During his last start, Nola pitched six innings allowing two runs on three hits in a 4-3 win over the Cardinals. Someone like Ryan McMahon, who’s currently leading the Rockies with a .373 batting average, needs to lead the charger against Nola, to put some big numbers on the board.
Rockies Must-Win Series May Decide the Future of the Franchise
This must-win series is huge for Colorado. We could see manager Bud Black on the hot seat. Also, we could see the Rockies make some roster moves. Whether that’s in the lineup or within the rotation. Colorado has to show they’re better than their 4-12 record. They also need to show they can perform exceedingly better than last season where they recorded over 100 losses for the first time in franchise history. This team has plenty of bright young talent, but they need to assimilate quickly into what the majors offer. While they play in one of the toughest if not the toughest divisions in all of baseball, it’s still going to be a long season for the Rockies and their fans.
Main Photo: © John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
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