Kyle Freeland (2-7, 7.25 ERA) gets the ball for Colorado, coming off his best start in weeks — 5 innings, 2 earned runs, 7 strikeouts in a win over Miami on July 1. Eric Lauer (4-5, 4.84 ERA) counters for LA off a 6-inning, 3-run outing against Oakland where the Dodgers offense did the heavy lifting.
Lauer's been a low-key luck charm since arriving in a trade — the Dodgers haven't lost a game he's started. That matters more than the ERA line suggests, especially with a bullpen that's still stitching itself back together. Evan Phillips is back off the 60-day IL, which helps, but Blake Treinen, Edwin Diaz and Ben Casparius are all still out. Tommy Edman was scratched Sunday with a foot issue and his availability for this series is worth watching.
None of that has stopped LA from rolling — 8-2 in its last 10 and sitting atop the NL West. Colorado's actually been the hotter offense lately, but the gap in overall quality between a first-place club and a team still 17 games under .500 is the story here, whatever the last week of box scores says.
Hunter Goodman is the reason Colorado's lineup has looked dangerous instead of hopeless — he's slugging over .800 with 6 homers in his last 10 games and just picked up his first All-Star nod. The Rockies scored 14-plus runs twice against Miami and put up 15 on the Giants before that stretch cooled off with a loss Saturday. It's real production, just against lesser competition than what's coming to Dodger Stadium this week.
- 10-Day-ILBrenton Doyle CF — The Rockies returned Doyle (oblique) from his rehab assignment Sunday, but he remains on the 10-day injured list.
- 15-Day-ILSeth Halvorsen RP — The Rockies placed Halvorsen on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to July 1, due to right shoulder inflammation.
- 15-Day-ILTomoyuki Sugano SP — Colorado placed Sugano (back) on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to July 1.
- 15-Day-ILBlas Castano RP — Castano (pectoral) is expected to begin a throwing program next week, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJaden Hill RP — Hill (shoulder) resumed playing catch Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILJose Quintana SP — Quintana (elbow) is scheduled to play catch Monday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILChase Dollander SP — Dollander underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow Monday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.
- 60-Day-ILWelinton Herrera RP — Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer announced Monday that Herrera (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL and will miss the remainder of the season, Jack Janes of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayTommy Edman LF — Edman was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres due to a right foot/ankle injury, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez 1B — Hernandez (oblique) took live batting practice against rehabbing teammate Edwin Diaz (elbow) on Sunday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILWill Smith C — Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Smith (neck) began hitting in the cages Thursday and has also begun throwing, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 15-Day-ILBlake Treinen RP — The Dodgers announced Thursday that Treinen (elbow) has resumed playing catch, per MLB.com.
- 60-Day-ILLandon Knack SP — Knack (intercostal) will make his third rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
- 60-Day-ILEvan Phillips RP — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Phillips (elbow) will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list ahead of Monday's series opener against the Rockies, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILEdwin Diaz RP — Diaz (elbow) said he felt "really good" while facing hitters in live batting practice Sunday, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow SP — Glasnow (back) has been cleared to begin a throwing program, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
Colorado still leans on a rotation and bullpen full of names on the injured list — Jose Quintana, Chase Dollander and Tomoyuki Sugano among them — while trying to scrap for wins with a lineup that's carrying the whole operation right now. The Dodgers have their own health questions but their floor with this roster is simply higher, and Dodger Stadium hasn't been kind to visiting rebuild projects this year.
Freeland will need more starts like his last one if Colorado wants to make this a series instead of a formality. The Rockies have the bats to hang for a few innings; whether they can do it three nights in a row against this much better roster is the real question.