Rockies Announce Probable Starters vs. Giants to Close Out Lengthy Road Trip

The dog days of summer are here for the Colorado Rockies and manager Warren Schaeffer. However, this season, the feeling in mid-August is much different from what it has been in years past.

In the past three summers, the Rockies have been buried in the National League West Division and on their way to a 100-loss season. That might not be the case this season. Colorado is 48-73, and just 15 wins away from avoiding a fourth straight 100-loss season. Given what the organization has been through, that in itself would be a major step in the right direction in Year 1 under Paul DePodesta, the new president of baseball operations.

The Rockies will close out a three-city road trip beginning on Friday night against the San Francisco Giants, just two games behind their division foe for last place. Not only could Colorado avoid finishing with another 100-loss season, but they could also finish in fourth place in a loaded NL West.

Rockies Announce Probable Starters vs. Giants

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen Credit: Isaiah J. Downing | Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After dropping two out of three against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Rockies went into Phoenix and took two out of three against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are in the thick of the NL wild-card race. After splitting the first six games on the nine-game road trip, Colorado will look to win a second straight series away from Coors Field. Here are the probable pitching matchups for this weekend.

Fri., Aug 14 • 10:15 PM EDT: Kyle Freeland (3-10, 6.63 ERA) vs. Landen Roupp (7-11, 4.22 ERA)
Sat., Aug 15 • 4:05 PM EDT: Michael Lorenzen (3-10, 6.83 ERA) vs. Logan Webb (7-7, 3.59 ERA)
Sun., Aug 16 • 4:05 PM EDT: Gabriel Hughes (0-4, 5.61 ERA) vs. Blade Tidwell (0-0, 2,78 ERA)

Given where the two teams are in the standings at this point in the season, those are some ugly numbers on both sides in terms of the starting pitchers. However, neither team is in the playoff race, but rather in a race to avoid finishing in the basement of the NL West.

Colorado will be rolling out two veterans, Kyle Freeland and Michael Lorenzen. DePodesta held on to both pitchers at the trade deadline, as there was likely not much of a market for either one of them. Lorenzen was one of three veteran free-agent signings last winter and he has been a disappointment for Schaeffer this season. Freeland is looking to finish what could be his last season in Denver strong.

There is still something for the Rockies to play for in 2026 and until they secure win No. 63, they will have something to play for each night. Finishing with at least 63 wins might not seem like much to people outside of Colorado, but it means a lot more inside the clubhouse and with the fanbase. A winning nine-game road trip at this point in the season would be big for a team that continues to take positive steps forward in 2026.

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