Series Preview: Rockies Make the Trip to Flushing

The New York Mets are hosting the Colorado Rockies for a four-game series on an important weekend for the two best teams in the National League East. All of a sudden, the Atlanta Braves find themselves within 1.5 games in the division as they travel to St. Louis to face the Cardinals for three.

The 2022 Colorado Rockies are a solid team when they are at Coors Field, but the same cannot be said when they are on the road. A 36-32 record at home is quite good, but their 18-39 record on the road is what has really hurt them this season. Most people were surprised when Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt was able to secure the signing of Kris Bryant this offseason, who had interest all over the league. While Bryant has not been able to stay healthy, the Rockies still have a few bright spots in All-Star first baseman C.J. Cron and infielder Brendan Rodgers.

Thursday, August 25, 2022: RHP Ryan Feltner (2-4, 5.88 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (2-1, 2.31 ERA)

Ryan Feltner is one of many starting pitchers who are struggling to perform in the high altitude at Coors Field. The right-hander has made a total of 12 appearances with the Rockies major league ball club in 2022, 11 of which have been starts. Feltner is struggling on the road as well, pitching to a 6.26 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP in 27 1/3 innings across six starts.

The 25-year-old out of Ohio State has four pitches he has thrown at least 10 percent of the time this year, that being a four-seam fastball, slider, sinker, and curveball. Feltner will mix in a changeup once in a while, though he only throws that pitch 5.8 percent of the time. His last start was a good one, allowing one run to score on two hits while striking out five in six innings against the San Francisco Giants last Saturday.

Jacob deGrom has been sensational since making his return to the mound earlier this month. The 34-year-old starter still looks like one of the more dominant pitchers in the game, even though he missed 13 months through various injuries. deGrom will be making his third start of the season at Citi Field, with the first two going right to plan. He is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA, a 0.343 WHIP, and 17 SO/9 in 11 2/3 innings at home.

The right-hander has great career numbers against the Rockies, owning a 5-1 record with an incredible 1.17 ERA in nine starts. deGrom is coming off his most difficult start of the season, giving up three runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings against the Atlanta Braves last Thursday.

Friday, August 26, 2022: RHP Chad Kuhl (6-7, 5.16 ERA) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (11-7, 3.26 ERA)

Chad Kuhl has struggled in his first season with the Rockies after spending the first five years of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 29-year-old is another example of a starting pitcher who has more struggles on the road, owning a 6.08 ERA with a 1.725 WHIP across 11 starts. In comparison, Kuhl has pitched to a 4.17 ERA with a 1.309 WHIP at Coors Field, including a complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 27.

The right-hander is throwing a sinker and slider over 77 percent of the time this season while mixing in a curveball and changeup every so often. Kuhl had his worst start of the year last time out, surrendering nine runs on eight hits in a 9-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on August 3. He was recently activated from the injured list after sustaining a hip strain earlier this month.

Chris Bassitt has been everything the Mets could have asked from him this season. The right-hander continues to give his team a chance to win while pitching deep into almost all of his starts. Bassitt has thrown at least six innings in 18 of his 23 starts this season. The 33-year-old is off to a great start post All-Star break, pitching to a 1.85 ERA through six starts in the second half. Bassitt was able to work around traffic on the bases in his last outing, giving up two runs on seven hits across six innings in a 7-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies last Friday.

Saturday, August 27, 2022: LHP Kyle Freeland (7-8, 4.93 ERA) vs. David Peterson (6-3, 3.44 ERA)

Kyle Freeland is set to be with the Rockies long-term after signing a five-year, $64.5 million contract extension at the end of April. He has spent each of his first six seasons with the team after being drafted by the organization back in 2014. The left-hander is far more effective on the road, owning a 3-4 record with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.237 WHIP in 11 road starts. In comparison, Freeland is 4-4 with a 6.10 ERA and a 1.576 WHIP in 13 home starts this season.

The 29-year-old has a well-balanced pitch mix, using a four-seam fastball, slider, sinker, curveball, and changeup at least 15 percent of the time in 2022. His most effective pitch is the curveball, as opponents are hitting just .208 with a .367 XSLG against the breaking ball this season. Freeland is coming off a rough start against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, as he gave up six runs (five of which were earned) in 6 1/3 innings.

David Peterson has been critical to the Mets’ success as a pitching staff this season, coming in and giving his team quality innings whenever needed. The left-hander will be making his eighth start of the season at Citi Field, pitching to a 4-1 record with a 4.25 ERA in nine appearances (seven starts) at home. Peterson has made just one start against the Rockies in his career, giving up three runs on five hits across six innings in May of 2021.

The 26-year-old did not have a good start his last time out, surrendering three runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings in the second game of the day-night doubleheader against the Phillies last Saturday.

Sunday, August 28, 2022: RHP Germán Márquez (6-10, 5.22 ERA) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (9-3, 2.33 ERA)

Germán Márquez was expected to be the ace of the Rockies rotation this season, but it has not materialized for the right-hander. His numbers are much better on the road (4.11 ERA in 10 road starts vs. 6.09 ERA in 14 home starts), but a lack of consistency has hurt him overall. Márquez made a start against the Mets when the team traveled to Colorado in late May, an appearance that did not go well for him.

The 27-year-old gave up five runs (four of which were earned) on 11 hits in six innings, earning his fourth loss of the season. Márquez has four pitches he throws at least 20 percent of the time, three of which that have a BAA of .290 or higher. The numbers against his sinker (second most used pitch) are quite concerning, as opponents are hitting .326 and an XSLG of .550. His last start did not go well, as he conceded six runs on eight hits in six innings against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

Max Scherzer has been fantastic in his first season with the Mets, helping the team get to where they are this late in the season. The right-hander has not only been great on the mound, but his presence in the clubhouse has been just as important. In terms of what he is doing on the field, Scherzer has great numbers at home in 2022. The 38-year-old is 4-1 with a 1.71 ERA and a 0.911 WHIP in eight home starts. Scherzer is coming off a tough start against the New York Yankees on Monday, when he surrendered four runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 4-2 loss.