The Rockies just took 3 of 4 from the Giants in Colorado. Now they get a rematch at Oracle Park with both clubs playing out the string.
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Colorado just took 3 of 4 from this same Giants team, including a pair of laughers, and that recent success matters when neither club has a rotation to lean on. San Francisco's lineup is banged up with Chapman and Susac out, which tilts the head-to-head edge back toward the Rockies. It's a coin-flip matchup between two bad teams, but the recent form points one direction.
Rockies
+Won 3 of last 4 meetings vs Giants, including blowouts
+Young outfield bats producing runs in bunches
−Worse record at 37-55, still finding their footing
−Rotation depleted: Quintana, Sugano, Dollander, Brown all out
Giants
+Logan Webb won NL Pitcher of the Month in June
+Blew out Toronto 10-1 in last outing
−Just got swept 3 of 4 at home by this same Rockies team
−Chapman, Susac, Bader all currently sidelined
San Francisco and Colorado enter this one a combined 75-107, and both front offices have already started acting like it. The Giants are edging toward seller mode with Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman all reportedly available, while the Rockies are shopping bullpen pieces like Antonio Senzatela and letting kids like Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy play every day. Neither side is chasing October. They're chasing next year, and this series is just games on the calendar until then.
The pitching plans for Friday's series opener haven't been announced by either club, which says something about where both rotations stand right now. Colorado's is especially thin — Jose Quintana, Tomoyuki Sugano, Chase Dollander and McCade Brown are all out, forcing Colorado to piece together starts on the fly. San Francisco has its own issues in the bullpen with Matt Gage sidelined, but at least Logan Webb gives the staff a real anchor when he's on the mound.
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Lineup health matters more than usual here. Chapman and catcher Daniel Susac are both banged up for the Giants, and Harrison Bader is working his way back from a foot injury — all of it thinning out a San Francisco offense that's already scuffling to score consistently. Colorado's outfield is dinged too with Brenton Doyle still not fully cleared, but the Rockies have been getting production from names further down the roster, which is exactly what a last-place team wants to see in July.
What actually stands out watching the last four meetings between these two is how loud the games have been. Colorado put up 14 and 15 runs in back-to-back wins during the last series, and even the two games decided by one run finished 6-4 and 7-6. That's not a fluke of one bad start — it's two shaky pitching staffs going up against two lineups capable of getting hot in a hurry, and there's no reason to think that changes on Friday.
Colorado Rockies
Jul 9?@ Giants—
Jul 8?@ Dodgers—
Jul 7?@ Dodgers—
San Francisco Giants
Jul 9?vs Rockies—
Jul 8?vs Blue Jays—
Jul 7?vs Blue Jays—
Recent form.
The bigger picture is the trade deadline creeping closer on Aug. 3. Every extra-inning battle from here on is also an audition — for Rockies relievers trying to boost their价, for Giants hitters trying to convince someone they're still worth building around, and for young players on both sides trying to force their way into next year's plans. That backdrop makes even a game between two sub-.500 teams worth a look.
Colorado Rockies
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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
San Francisco Giants
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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Neither team has much left to prove standings-wise, but pride and roster spots are real stakes in July. Whoever pitches better out of a beat-up rotation on Friday probably wins this one — which, given how both staffs have looked lately, is far from a guarantee for either side.
