Suffice it to say the first two games of this three game set against one of the best current teams in baseball has not gone well for the Colorado Rockies. After a bullpen meltdown on Friday and an overall poor performance—with a rare clunker from Chase Dollander—on Saturday, the Rockies are facing a sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves.
Left-handed starter Kyle Freeland will make his second appearance since returning from the injured list last week. Freeland pitched fairly well in his first start after
dealing with left shoulder soreness, considering he didn’t take a rehab assignment, and faced a Cincinnati Reds offense riding a hot streak. Freeland allowed four earned runs on five hits—including a home run—and a walk while striking out four batters.
Their opponent today will be the right-handed, mustachioed menace known as Spencer Strider, who will be making his season debut after missing time with an oblique strain.
Strider’s first two full seasons in the league saw him take second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2022, and he was both an All-Star and Cy Young candidate in 2023. However, he missed the majority of 2024 due to needing Tommy John surgery. His 2025 campaign—while relatively successful with a 4.45 ERA and 131 strikeouts over 125.1 innings and 23 starts—wasn’t quite the same.
Now more than a full year removed from his surgery, Strider will look to begin a rebound campaign against the Rockies’ flat offense.
One of the major problems of the series has been inconsistent offense. Despite roaring to a six-run lead early on Friday, the Rockies failed to plate another run for the rest of the game. On Saturday, the Rockies had just two hits after the third inning (and four in total).
At his best, Strider relies on a four-pitch mix both heavy on whiffs and heavy on strikeouts. His primary offering is a four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-90s, and he backs it up with a vicious slider with plenty of gloveside break. Strider also throws a very good curveball and a solid changeup.
First Pitch: 1:10 PM MDT
TV: Rockies TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
Braves SB Nation site: Battery Power
Lineups:
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