Sunday's series finale at Coors Field is set for a 1:10 PM MT first pitch, and the Pirates are lined up to send Paul Skenes to the mound for the getaway game. Skenes is sitting on a 2.85 ERA with 99 strikeouts and has reportedly racked up back-to-back 10-K starts in his latest stretch, which is roughly the worst possible draw for a Rockies lineup that has cycled through replacements all month. Colorado's Sunday starter was still listed as TBD as of the weekend, which tracks for a rotation that has had Kyle Freeland, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Michael Lorenzen carrying the bulk of the workload.
The matchup gap is real, but Coors is Coors. Skenes has the stuff to neutralize the altitude, and Pittsburgh just dropped 12 runs on the Athletics on Tuesday, so the bats are technically warm. The Pirates are 38-37 and have actually won 3 of their last 5, with the rough spot being a 2-11 beatdown in Sacramento earlier in the week. Sunday is their shot to bank a road series win against the worst team in the National League before flying home.
Colorado is 28-47 and has been bouncing between blowouts in both directions. They dropped a 23-9 thumping on the Athletics last week and then immediately lost 2 of 3 to the Cubs, including an 8-6 finish on Wednesday. The lineup is also missing pretty much every outfielder you'd want to write down — Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck, and Mickey Moniak are all on the 10-day IL, and Kris Bryant remains parked on the 60-day with his ongoing back issue. Mickey Moniak is at least starting a rehab assignment in Albuquerque, but he won't be there Sunday.
- Day-To-DayAnthony Solometo SP — Solometo underwent left shoulder labrum surgery and is expected to be sidelined until at least April 2027, Mark Chiarelli of Baseball America reports.
- Day-To-DayMitch Jebb LF
- Day-To-DayOddanier Mosqueda RP — Mosqueda will not throw for a couple weeks due to left forearm inflammation, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMike Clevinger RP — Clevinger is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DaySean Sullivan SP — Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Sullivan is battling right elbow soreness, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
- 10-Day-ILOneil Cruz CF — Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Cruz (hand) is facing an estimated recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILKonnor Griffin SS — Griffin will report to the Pirates' facility in Bradenton, Fla. during the upcoming week to continue rehab for his right forearm strain, Aidan Stepansky of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJoey Bart C — Bart (foot) will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday at Single-A Bradenton, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
- 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) worked in the batting cage Monday, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJordan Beck LF — Beck (hamstring) stretched and did running drills prior to Tuesday's game against the Cubs, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILMickey Moniak LF — Moniak (ankle) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday, 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.
- 60-Day-ILChase Dollander SP — Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said Friday that Dollander will likely undergo surgery to repair the UCL in his right elbow, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.
The Pirates are without Oneil Cruz, who is looking at a 4-6 week timeline with a hand injury per Ben Cherington, plus shortstop Konnor Griffin still rehabbing a forearm strain and Joey Bart working back from a foot issue at Single-A Bradenton. Pittsburgh's bullpen is also banged up, with Mike Clevinger out roughly six weeks on an MCL sprain and Chris Devenski now on the 60-day. None of that changes much if Skenes does what Skenes usually does — get to the 6th with single digits on the scoreboard and let the back end of the pen close it out.
Sunday at Coors with a TBD on one side and Skenes on the other is exactly the kind of spot where the Pirates look like an actual contending team for nine innings. The Rockies' counter is that their park bails everybody out eventually. If Pittsburgh can put up a crooked number early, this one tilts fast.