Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants Pick & Prediction JULY 28th 2024
Preview and Prediction
Two hurlers who may find themselves in varying circumstances the next time they take the hill will face off as the San Francisco Giants aim to complete a four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies at home on Sunday.
The Giants' pitching staff has dominated the first three games of the series, with starters Kyle Harrison, Blake Snell, and Hayden Birdsong holding the Rockies to just one run and six hits in 17 2/3 innings. They have combined for an impressive 34 strikeouts in the 11-4, 4-1, and 5-0 victories.
With Snell performing exceptionally well in July, Robbie Ray making a successful return to the starting rotation, and Alex Cobb expected to make his season debut as early as next week, the Giants suddenly have an abundance of talented pitchers at their disposal.
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However, right-hander Jordan Hicks (4-7, 4.01 ERA) is not included in this wealth of pitching riches. The converted reliever has seen his ERA as a starter this season rise from 1.59 in March/April, to 3.99 in May, to 5.24 in June, and finally to 8.31 in July. He has not won a game in his last 10 starts, going 0-6 with a 5.91 ERA.
With All-Star Logan Webb and two promising young prospects, Harrison and Birdsong, also vying for more starts, Hicks is expected to be the odd man out when manager Bob Melvin selects his top five or six pitchers next week.
In fact, Melvin has announced that Hicks' role will be re-evaluated after Sunday's start.
"I figured this might be my last one or the next one," Hicks stated after lasting just 3 2/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. "I gave it my all."
If Hicks still has a chance to change his manager's mind, he may have some luck on Sunday. First of all, he will be facing a Rockies team that has lost 13 of their last 16 games on the road and has only managed 13 hits (five for extra bases) in the first three games of the series in San Francisco.
Furthermore, Hicks' last victory came at home against these same Rockies on May 19, when he allowed just one run and three hits in five innings. The 27-year-old has a career record of 3-1 with a 4.08 ERA in nine meetings with Colorado, two of which were starts.
At least Hicks, who is in his first year with the Giants, has not been the subject of trade rumors lately. The same cannot be said for Rockies left-hander Austin Gomber (2-6, 4.70), who has only won one of his last 10 starts despite receiving eight or more runs of support on four occasions.
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The 30-year-old has not faced the Giants in any of the three previous series this season. He has a career record of 2-4 with a 7.27 ERA in eight games (six starts) against San Francisco.
The Rockies got a head start on Tuesday's trade deadline by trading right-hander Nick Mears to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday in exchange for two minor league players.
While some believed that the team's strikeout leader out of the bullpen was untouchable, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt seemed to send a message that anyone on his 38-68 club could be acquired for the right price.
"Our scouts were confident in the quality of the return for Nick," Schmidt explained. "It was something we wanted to pursue."
Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants Recap JUL 28TH 2024
Rookie Hayden Birdsong combined with four relievers on a four-hitter as the San Francisco Giants completed a doubleheader sweep over the visiting Colorado Rockies with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap Saturday night.
Birdsong (3-0), Sean Hjelle, Taylor Rogers, Erik Miller and Spencer Bivens combined for 13 strikeouts after Blake Snell and three relievers teamed for 17 in a 4-1 win in the opener.
According to the Giants, the 30 strikeouts were the most by Giants pitchers in a doubleheader since the stat was first logged in 1901.
Birdsong pitched the first five innings of the Giants' fifth shutout of the season, limiting the Rockies to three singles and three walks. The eight strikeouts were his second-most, trailing only his 12 in his previous start, against the Rockies last Sunday.
The Giants needed just nine pitches by Rockies starter Tanner Gordon to take the lead for good when Jorge Soler singled and Mike Yastrzemski followed with a triple to right field.
The hosts added a run in the second on consecutive doubles by Matt Chapman and Brett Wisely, doubled the advantage on a sacrifice fly by Yastrzemski and RBI single by Heliot Ramos in the fifth and capped the scoring on a solo homer by Tyler Fitzgerald in the eighth.
The home run by Fitzgerald was his ninth of the season, eight of which have come in the last 10 games.
Promoted from the minors for the doubleheader, Gordon (0-3) was charged with four runs on nine hits in six innings. He struck out five and did not walk anyone.
The Giants' bullpen allowed just one hit, a ninth-inning single by Brendan Rodgers, over the final four innings.
Soler collected two doubles, a single and two runs for the Giants, who have won three in a row in the wake of a 2-5 trip that included dropping two of three in Colorado.
Wisely chipped in with a double and a single as part of an 11-hit attack.