Colorado Rockies game no. 45 thread: Karl Kauffmann vs. Martín Peréz

As the Rockies travel to Arlington, Texas to take on the AL West first-place Rangers (26-17), Colorado (19-25) will be turning to rookie Karl Kauffmann, who will be making his MLB debut in game one.

With injuries and struggles in the Rockies rotation this season, Kauffmann (no. 23 PuRP) becomes the 10th different pitcher to start a game through the first 45 games of the season. The 25-year-old RHP has been added to the 40-man roster and Germán Márquez was moved to the 60-day IL to make room for him.

After a remarkable career at the University of Michigan, the Rockies selected Kauffman as the no. 77 overall pick from the 2019 MLB Draft. For more on Kauffmann’s unusual journey to the Majors, check out Evan Lang’s Purple Row article from Thursday.

Kauffmann has been in Triple-A Albuquerque since July 2022. This season, he’s posted a 7.78 ERA in eight starts. Despite giving up lots of hits in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, he’s averaging 6.32 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Martín Pérez (4-1, 4.35 ERA) will be on the mound for Texas. The 32-year-old lefty earned all four of his wins in six starts in April when he posted a 2.41 ERA. In two starts since, Pérez has given up 11 runs, including four home runs, in two no decisions with an 11.42 ERA.

First Pitch: 6:05 p.m. MDT

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

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

Lineups:

Here are the Rockies:

And the Rangers:

Final score: Rangers 7, Rockies 2

See game highlights here.