Ryan Gusto (0-2, 5.06 ERA) draws Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.83 ERA) for the series finale, with first pitch set for 1:10 PM MT. On paper, neither guy jumps off the page. In practice, one of them is pitching at his home park while posting an 8.20 ERA there this season, and it isn't Gusto.
The Marlins came into this 4-game set riding the hottest month in baseball — they went 20-6 in June, best record in the majors, with the lowest ERA in the league. They backed that up immediately by dropping 10 and 14 runs on Colorado in games 1 and 2. The Rockies held them to 3 Wednesday night and stopped the bleeding, but Miami still leads the series and still has all the momentum of a team that surprised everyone by entering July tied for the 3rd wild-card spot.
Lorenzen signed an $8 million deal with Colorado this winter and has not delivered. At 3-9 with a 6.83 ERA overall, his home splits are the more damning number — 8.20 ERA across 37-plus innings at Coors Field. His last start was the outlier: 5.2 innings against the Twins on June 27, just 2 earned runs, no walks, picked up the win. Whether that was a legitimate step forward or the Twins just catching him on the right night, Thursday will tell us which version shows up. Gusto, recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville to fill rotation gaps created by Miami's long injury list, threw 3.1 solid innings in his most recent outing — 4 strikeouts, 0 earned runs against the Cardinals on June 27. He hasn't gone deep into starts, which means the Marlins' taxed bullpen is going to be called on early regardless.
- Day-To-DayThomas White SP — White was diagnosed with a left shoulder capsular sprain Friday and is expected to miss the rest of the season, Isaac Azout of FishOnFirst.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILAnthony Bender RP — The Marlins placed Bender on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right shin stress reaction.
- 15-Day-ILJanson Junk SP — Junk (shin) allowed one run over 2.2 innings in his first rehab start with Triple-A Jacksonville on Sunday before exiting after being struck on the left wrist by a comebacker, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILJosh Ekness RP — Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Monday that Ekness is expected to miss approximately six weeks due to a right calf strain, Kyle Sielaff of Marlins.tv reports.
- 60-Day-ILAndrew Nardi RP — The Marlins transferred Nardi (ribcage) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
- 60-Day-ILRobby Snelling SP — Snelling underwent internal brace surgery Friday to repair a torn UCL in his left elbow.
- 60-Day-ILRonny Henriquez RP — The Marlins placed Henriquez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.
- 60-Day-ILAdam Mazur SP — The Marlins placed Mazur (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
- Day-To-DayTomoyuki Sugano SP — Sugano did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and one walk over five innings against the Twins. He struck out two.
- 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-ILBrenton Doyle CF — Doyle (oblique) was scratched from a rehab appearance with Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday due to groin tightness, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJaden Hill RP — Hill (shoulder) resumed playing catch Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBlas Castano RP — Castano was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday.
- 60-Day-ILChase Dollander SP — Dollander underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow Monday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.
Both teams are beat up, but Miami's situation is more notable given where they're trying to go. Anthony Bender just landed on the 15-day IL with a shin stress reaction, and the Marlins are also without Andrew Nardi (ribcage), Robby Snelling (UCL surgery), and Adam Mazur (elbow) — all 60-day IL. Thomas White is done for the season. It's a lot of arms down. Colorado's own IR isn't clean either: Chase Dollander is out after an internal brace procedure on his elbow, Brenton Doyle is still working through an oblique issue, and Kris Bryant continues to deal with the back problems that have made him a non-factor all year. For a 34-53 team with no real destination in mind, depth losses sting differently than they do for a Marlins club playing for something.