St. Louis went the sell route at the deadline, moving Dustin May, Lars Nootbaar and Jojo Romero for future pieces while adding reliever Caleb Ferguson — a retool-on-the-fly approach for a team still just a few games out of a wild-card spot. Colorado, meanwhile, is playing out the string in a lost season, though a couple of roster notes have given the clubhouse something to feel good about.
That complete game from Freeland deserves context. He struck out 8 and needed 115 pitches to get through 9 innings in a win over Kansas City, capping a series in which Colorado outscored the Royals convincingly behind Coors Field's summer heat. It was the first complete game of his career — a genuine highlight on a season otherwise defined by a 6.81 ERA and a losing record, and not something to expect him to replicate against a lineup like this.
Outfielder Mickey Moniak signing a multi-year extension is a small sign of stability for a Rockies team building for down the road, but stability doesn't show up in the standings — Colorado sits 45-70 and 24 games back in the NL West. St. Louis, sub-.500 for the first time all year, still has more to play for this weekend, and that gap in stakes is the story of this series.