Barstool Bush
Predictions

Colorado Rockies at Los Angeles Dodgers

By Bush StaffUpdated 46d ago·2 min read
Colorado RockiesCOL(37-55)
Los Angeles DodgersLAD(60-32)
4—3
FINAL
123456789RHE
COL
000001030482
LAD
100011000382

Wrobleski (10-2, 2.80) gets the ball for the Dodgers at 7:10 PM PT, and Lorenzen (3-9, 6.91) counters for a Rockies club that's lost 5 of its last 8 series openers against LA this year.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Rockies(37-55)
LWLWW
4
Dodgers(60-32)
WLWWW
3
Best BetDodgers -271
Pregame

The Dodgers are heavily favored here, and the pitching matchup backs it up — Wrobleski's been one of the better arms in the league while Lorenzen is fighting for his rotation spot. LA's price reflects a real gap in both roster quality and health. Backing the Rockies as an outright upset play is tough to justify given how one-sided this pitching matchup looks on paper.

The Dodgers are doing this without half their projected rotation. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone and Landon Knack are all hurt, and Dave Roberts has leaned on internal arms to plug the gaps. Wrobleski is the best of that bunch — an 11th-round pick who won the fifth-starter job in April and never gave it back. Enrique Hernandez and Will Smith are also working back from injury, and Tommy Edman is out again Tuesday with the foot and ankle issue that's nagged him.

Colorado Rockies
Michael Lorenzen
(3-9)·6.22 ERA
Jul 2 vs Marlins
ND
4.1IP
2ER
1K
6BB
95P
07/07 Lineup
Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Wrobleski
(10-2)·2.69 ERA
Jun 30 @ Athletics
W
7.0IP
3ER
11K
0BB
110P
07/07 Lineup

Colorado's issues run deeper than one banged-up lineup. Lorenzen has been one of the worst regulars in baseball this season, and the Rockies as a whole are still hunting for their first signature stretch of the year. The gap between these two rosters shows up everywhere from the standings to the injury report, and the sportsbooks have noticed.

Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
(12)
  • 10-Day-ILBrenton Doyle (CF) — The Rockies returned Doyle (oblique) from his rehab assignment Sunday, but he remains on the 10-day injured list.07/05
  • 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.07/04
  • 15-Day-ILTomoyuki Sugano (SP) — Colorado placed Sugano (back) on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to July 1.07/04
  • 15-Day-ILBlas Castano (RP) — Castano (pectoral) is expected to begin a throwing program next week, MLB.com reports.07/03
  • 15-Day-ILJaden Hill (RP) — Hill (shoulder) resumed playing catch Wednesday, MLB.com reports.07/02
  • 60-Day-ILJose Quintana (SP) — Quintana (elbow) is scheduled to play catch Monday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.07/05
  • 60-Day-ILChase Dollander (SP) — Dollander underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow Monday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.06/23
  • 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.06/02
  • 60-Day-ILMcCade Brown (SP) — Brown (shoulder) had been scheduled to throw a live bullpen session this weekend, MLB.com reports.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILRJ Petit (RP) — The Rockies transferred Petit (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Thursday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILPierson Ohl (RP) — The Rockies placed Ohl (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILKris Bryant (DH) — Bryant said Tuesday that the ongoing pain in his back continues to prevent him from participating in baseball activities, though he's still consulting with doctors and trainers for potential rehab options, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(13)
  • Day-To-DayTommy Edman (LF) — Edman (foot/ankle) remains out of the lineup for Monday's contest against the Rockies.07/06
  • 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.07/05
  • 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.07/03
  • 15-Day-ILBlake Treinen (RP) — The Dodgers announced Thursday that Treinen (elbow) has resumed playing catch, per MLB.com.07/05
  • 60-Day-ILBlake Snell (SP) — Snell (elbow) is scheduled to face live hitters Saturday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.07/07
  • 60-Day-ILLandon Knack (SP) — Knack (intercostal) will make his third rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.07/05
  • 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.07/05
  • 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow (SP) — Glasnow (back) has been cleared to begin a throwing program, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.06/30
  • 60-Day-ILBobby Miller (SP) — Miller (shoulder/back) will resume throwing off the mound this week, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Stone (SP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Tuesday that Stone has been unable to ramp up his throwing without feeling soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILBrusdar Graterol (RP) — Graterol (shoulder) underwent surgery recently for a back injury he suffered while on a rehab assignment, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILBen Casparius (RP) — Casparius (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list Monday.05/19
  • 60-Day-ILJake Cousins (RP) — The Dodgers transferred Cousins (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/08

Give the Rockies some credit for the last week. They put up 14 and 15 runs in back-to-back games against the Marlins and Giants, a reminder that the young core — Ethan Holliday, Zac Veen, Yanquiel Fernandez — can occasionally get hot all at once. But that offense has also been streaky enough to lose the very next game each time, and Monday's 8-7 loss to the Dodgers fit the pattern: score plenty, still find a way to lose.

Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
(37-55)
Jul 7L@ Dodgers7-8
Jul 5Wvs Giants7-6
Jul 5Lvs Giants4-6
Jul 4Wvs Giants15-3
Jul 2Wvs Marlins14-4
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(60-32)
Jul 7Wvs Rockies8-7
Jul 5Lvs Padres2-5
Jul 5Wvs Padres3-0
Jul 4Wvs Padres4-3
Jul 3Wvs Padres12-7

Lorenzen's last time out was ugly — 4.1 innings, 4 earned runs and 6 walks against Miami, the kind of start that's fueled real speculation he could get squeezed out of the rotation before the trade deadline. Wrobleski, meanwhile, is coming off an 11-strikeout, no-walk gem against the A's. That's about as wide a gap as you'll find between two starters in the same game, and it's a big reason the Dodgers are prohibitive favorites here.

None of this changes the bigger picture. The Dodgers are chasing a historic pace at 60-32, and this series is one more chance to pad the NL West lead. The Rockies are just trying to find something — anything — to build on before the calendar flips to August.

Sources

MLBColorado RockiesLos Angeles DodgersPolymarketKalshiMichael LorenzenJustin Wrobleski