Welcome, Rockies. Stay awhile
Get ready for a series in which we can all regret the Nolan Jones-Tyler Freeman trade together, even though it seemed to make sense at the time, as the Rockies come to Cleveland for a three-game series.
The Guardians are 52-53 with a -38 run differential, 26th in MLB with an 88 team wRC+, 11th in Baserunning Runs Above Average at 2, sixth in Defense at 5.3, 26th in starting pitching SIERA at 4.34, and 14th in bullpen SIERA at 3.73.
The Rockies are 27-78 with a -268 run differential (but are 5-5 in their last 10!), last in MLB with a 75 team WRC+, 23rd in Baserunning Runs Above Average at -3.8, 26th in Defense at -35.1, last in starting pitching SIERA at 4.92, and 29th in bullpen SIERA at 4.26.
Matchups (based on FanGraphs’ Depth Charts as a Wednesday starter for the Guardians has not yet been announced):
Monday, 6:40PM EDT: Bradley Blalock, RHP, 5.78 SIERA vs. Slade Cecconi, RHP, 4.10 SIERA
Tuesday, 6:40PM EDT: Tanner Gordon, RHP, 4.84 SIERA vs. Logan Allen, LHP, 4.72 SIERA
Wednesday, 6:40PM EDT: Kyle Freeland, LHP 4.37 SIERA vs. Parker Messick, LHP, 3.89 FIP in Columbus
The Guardians are led by Jose Ramirez at 143 wRC+, Steven Kwan 115 wRC+ and Kyle Manzardo 108 wRC+. Daniel Schneemann is up to 94 wRC+. Nolan Jones is down to 77 wRC+ and Carlos Santana is at 88 wRC+, while David Fry is at 52 wRC+. Expect all three to frustrate you immensely in this series as a Guardians fan.
The Rockies are led by Mickey Moniak with a 124 wRC+, Hunter Goodman 119 wRC+, and old friend Tyler Freeman at 113 wRC+. I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I’d bet on a Freeman three-hit game happening at least once in this series.
I am truly unsure how much, if any, stock the Guardians’ front office is placing in the first two games of this series against the Rockies, but I do expect SOMETHING to have happened by the time they play that third game, with the deadline expiring at 6PM EDT on the 31st. We will see if the Guardians have climbed above .500 by that point, or if we are all pretty grumpy, instead.