Kyle Freeland’s domination continues

Rockies manage just two hits as they squander Kyle Freeland’s quality start vs. Astros | The Denver Post ($)

Despite taking his first loss of the season, Kyle Freeland’s work against the Astros only furthered his strong 2020 campaign thus far.

Following his tough-luck loss on Monday night, the 2020 Rockies are now 4-1 when Freeland goes to work. Credit lies in the performance of Houston right-hander Brandon Bielak, who allowed one hit over six innings. The two Monday night starters have combined for a 2.21 ERA this year over 53 innings.

This year, Colorado has scored at least five runs in 15 of their 22 games. Of the seven they have not, three have taken place since Friday. Freeland has normally been on the receiving end of good run support in 2020, working with no less than five runs by the Rockies in all of his starts going into Monday.

Freeland remains on pace to eclipse his career marks in ERA and walks per nine innings.

Colorado’s bullpen kept the team in the ballgame after Freeland’s departure. Tyler Kinley put up a zero in the seventh, working around two walks. The eighth inning featured once-starter Jeff Hoffman sitting down the Astros in order and putting his ERA below one.

Rockies vs. Astros prediction, preview: Take Colorado | The New York Post

The New York Post wrote on Monday that the Rockies and Astros are “trending in opposite directions from how they performed in 2019.” The recent action paints a different picture, however: the Astros have won six of their last seven games, while the Rockies have won two of eight.

The link addresses the Rockies’ success on the road this year; their 6-2 road record going into Monday was MLB’s third best by winning percentage.

MLB Power Rankings: Who needs to step up for all 30 teams | ESPN

The current power ranking of the Colorado Rockies: eight.

This rendition of the rankings has insights from ESPN’s David Schoenfield on where each team can improve. “David Dahl entered Sunday tied for last in the majors among position players with minus-0.9 WAR, thanks to an empty .194 batting average that includes no home runs and a poor 20-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.”

The Rockies rank fourth in the National League, behind the Dodgers (1), Cubs (4) and Braves (7). For the Dodgers, Schoenfield says “Cody Bellinger hasn’t found his MVP swing of 2019,” but “maybe a two-homer game on Friday and a two-hit game on Saturday will get him going.” His first crack at the Rockies this year will be at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, as Jon Gray will likely toe the rubber.

Other rankings from the NL West: Padres, 11; Diamondbacks, 24; Giants, 28.

Colorado ranked 12th in the previous ESPN rankings. (Schoenfield last week: Just as predicted, 35-year-old Daniel Murphy and 35-year-old Matt Kemp are leading the way.)

Rockies recall Ashton Goudeau, place Elias Díaz on Restricted List | Purple Row

Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports Elias Díaz was placed on the restricted list after violating team protocols. The move “isn’t related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” Díaz did travel with the team to Houston.

If Ashton Goudeau’s 13 scoreless innings in the 2019 Arizona Fall League is any indication, the Rockies bullpen may have just gained a serious option.

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Zack Greinke calls pitches out loud, still dominates Giants | Yahoo! Sports

A few takeaways for Houston’s starter this evening: he refuses to get guacamole at Chipotle, he sat among the cutouts between innings of a start in Oakland this year, and he briefly called his own pitches against the Giants in his last start:

The 17-year veteran has spent time with six different MLB clubs. After seven combined years with the NL West’s Dodgers and Diamondbacks, Zack Greinke is no stranger to the Rockies.

(I feel him on that guacamole thing.)

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