First pitch is 2:10 PM CT on a getaway-day matinee in Denver, and the Brewers (39-23) have a real chance to walk out of altitude with a clean three-game broom. Shane Drohan (2-1, 2.87) gets the ball against Kyle Freeland (1-6, 8.06), which on paper is about as lopsided as a starter matchup gets in June.
Drohan is the Pat Murphy injury-shuffle story of the moment. The rookie lefty was a bullpen guy turned spot-starter because Milwaukee's rotation got vaporized, and he just keeps not getting hit. Freeland, meanwhile, is the other side of that coin — he's allowed at least 4 runs in five of his six starts since coming back from shoulder inflammation, and his last outing was 5 earned in 5.2 against the Angels. Coors does him no favors today.
The Brewers are riding a tidy little hot stretch and just bullied the Rockies 9-7 and 7-1 to open this set. Colorado is 24-41 and lost the last three of its previous road trip too, so the vibes at 20th and Blake are exactly what you'd expect when a last-place club runs into a first-place club that's also riding the platoon advantage with a lefty going.
Where this gets interesting is the injury column. Milwaukee's pitching staff is still held together with tape — Woodruff, Priester, Henderson, Koenig, DL Hall, Fitzpatrick (potential Tommy John) — which is why a guy like Drohan is even getting these starts. The Rockies are arguably in worse shape, missing Bryant, Doyle, Beck, Moniak, and Dollander, with Welinton Herrera done for the year with a torn UCL.
- Day-To-DayGrant Anderson RP — X-rays on Anderson's right forearm came back negative following his removal from Thursday's game against the Giants, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayGerson Garabito RP — Garabito will be out for four months after undergoing surgery to address a broken bone in his foot, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrandon Lockridge LF — Lockridge (knee) will attempt to run at 85-to-90 percent intensity Monday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBrian Fitzpatrick RP — Fitzpatrick (elbow) has been diagnosed with a left UCL strain and will get a second opinion to determine if he needs Tommy John surgery, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILDL Hall RP — Manager Pat Murphy said after Thursday's game against the Giants that Hall was removed due to left pectoral discomfort, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBrandon Woodruff SP — Woodruff (shoulder) is headed to the Brewers' spring training facility and could pitch in Arizona Complex League games, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILLogan Henderson SP — Henderson received an injection in his back Tuesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILRob Zastryzny RP — The Brewers reinstated Zastrzyny (shoulder/ribs) from the 60-day injured list Sunday.
- Day-To-DayTyler Freeman RF — Freeman went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 11-4 loss to the Angels.
- Day-To-DayBrayan Castillo RP — The Rockies announced Monday that Castillo is dealing with right lat tightness and has been shut down from throwing while undergoing treatment for the injury, TheDNVR.com reports.
- Day-To-DayCase Williams SP — Williams is currently slowed by a stress reaction in his right triceps, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJared Thomas CF — The Rockies announced Monday that Thomas hasn't been participating in spring training while he recovers from offseason surgery to address a fractured hamate bone in his right wrist, TheDNVR.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILMickey Moniak LF — Moniak (ankle) has been cleared to begin baseball activities, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrenton Doyle CF — The Rockies announced Friday that Doyle (oblique) has been able to take part in some pool exercises since landing on the 10-day injured list May 21, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJordan Beck LF — Beck (hamstring) was able to begin a running progression this past week, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILTanner Gordon RP — Gordon (0-1) took the loss Sunday, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk over three-plus innings against San Francisco. He struck out two.
The market reflects all of it. Pinnacle has the Brewers at -173 on the moneyline with a fair win probability around 62%, and the run line is -1.5 at -118, which tells you the books expect Milwaukee to win this comfortably, not just edge it. The total is parked at 12.5 — that's Coors with a Freeland start, basically. If Drohan keeps the ball down and the Brewers' lineup does what it just did the last two nights, the sweep is very much on the table.