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Colorado Rockies game no. 143 thread: Jordan Wicks vs Kyle Freeland

Another series with NL Wild Card implications

It was another disheartening road trip for the Colorado Rockies, dropping five-of-six games on a west-coast swing against the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants. They now sit 31-games below .500 on the road and are 7-23 in their last 30 games. They’ll return home — where they sit 29-38 on the season — to face-off against the Chicago Cubs, who are currently two-games ahead of the Diamondbacks for the second National League Wild Card spot and 1.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the top slot.

Taking the mound for the Cubs will be 24-year-old lefty Jordan Wicks. A first-round selection in 2021 out of Kansas State, Wicks rose through their system over the past two seasons and was called-up before even reaching the 50-games mark in the minors. He’s proven his quick ascent warranted so far as he holds a 3-0 record in three games pitched, tallying a 2.16 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 16 23 IP.

The Rockies will send a lefty of their own to oppose the young Wicks, as veteran Kyle Freeland will make his 28th start of the season. Freeland has had to carry much of the burden for the rotation this season, leading the team in IP with 146 23 in 2023. One of his most famous starts came against the Cubbies back in 2018 when he delivered 6 23 shutout innings to help Colorado advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2007. Things are different this time around for Freeland as he carries a 6-14 record and 5.09 ERA into this game.

First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT

TV: AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain

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

Lineups: