Kyle Freeland (1-6, 7.81) gets the Saturday assignment for Colorado after the Athletics took the opener 6-4 behind back-to-back blasts from Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz. The A's counter with Joey Estes, who's been stashed at Triple-A Las Vegas most of the year and has yet to log a 2026 big-league decision.
This is a tough spot for Freeland on paper and tougher in practice. He's coughed up double-digit earned runs over his last two outings since coming back from shoulder inflammation, and now he walks into a park where Langeliers (18 HR) and Kurtz (16 HR) are launching balls 450-plus feet into the Sacramento night. The lefty's last start went 5 innings, 3 earned, 89 pitches against Milwaukee — fine on the surface, ugly in trend.
The Rockies are 26-44 and patched together. Kris Bryant is still shut down with the back, Brenton Doyle (oblique), Jordan Beck (hamstring) and Mickey Moniak (ankle) are all on the IL, Ezequiel Tovar is day-to-day, and Jake McCarthy was scratched Friday with an illness. That's basically the projected Opening Day outfield and a chunk of the infield not on the field. Sean Sullivan's contract got selected from Albuquerque just to fill Friday's slot — the depth chart is held together with tape.
- Day-To-DaySean Sullivan SP — The Rockies selected Sullivan's contract from Triple-A Albuquerque ahead of his start Friday against the Athletics.
- Day-To-DayEzequiel Tovar SS — Tovar isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels.
- Day-To-DayJake McCarthy CF — McCarthy (illness) isn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Athletics.
- 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.
- 7-day ilTyler Freeman RF — Freeman was removed from Saturday's game against the Brewers in the bottom of the sixth inning after he was hit by a pitch in the helmet, Kelsey Wingert-Linch of AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrenton Doyle CF — Doyle (oblique) has yet to resume baseball activity, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrent Rooker DH — The Athletics placed Rooker on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to Tuesday, due to a bone bruise in his left knee.
- 15-Day-ILAaron Civale SP — Civale (shoulder) is scheduled to make a rehab appearance Thursday with Triple-A Las Vegas, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILLuis Severino SP — The Athletics announced Tuesday that Severino has been diagnosed with a strain of his right shoulder capsule and subscapularis muscle and will be re-evaluated in 4-to-6 weeks, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILBrooks Kriske RP — Kriske (shoulder) will be shut down from throwing for at least three weeks, Jason Burke of SI.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILDenzel Clarke CF — Clarke (hamstring) will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILGunnar Hoglund SP — Hoglund (knee/back) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on his left hip Monday.
The Athletics aren't whole either — Brent Rooker is on the 10-day IL with a left knee bone bruise, and the rotation is missing Luis Severino and Aaron Civale. But they've won 4 of 5, scored 14 runs in a loss to Milwaukee earlier in the week, and are riding a lineup that doesn't seem to care who's pitching against them. Lawrence Butler scored the go-ahead run Friday on an error and then plated an insurance run with an RBI knock in the 8th.
First pitch is 7:05 PM PT. The Rockies need a Freeland reset and a quiet night from the A's bats — neither feels like the favorite to happen.