Rockies Set Lineup With Sugano on the Mound in Minnesota Friday

The Colorado Rockies are riding a surge of positives right into Minnesota.

Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Tomoyuki Sugano has become the Colorado Rockies' most dependable arm, and on Friday evening against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, the Rockies are going to need him to perform.

The right-hander is going to take the mound in the first of a three-game series with an 8-4 record and a 4.31 ERA over 15 starts. The Rockies are sitting at 32-49 with the NL West title not even within sight. The purple-wearing team is 20 games back from the World Series Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sugano Finding His Groove

Despite not having a lot of success around him, Sugano has been a reason to tune in and pay attention to the struggling team. Over his last seven starts, he is 5-1. In his last start against Pittsburgh, he went six innings with just one earned run.

With a revolving door at the mound, Sugano has just quietly kept on. He has made 15 starts in 2026 and logged 79.1 innings, the most of any Colorado pitcher.

Bradley’s Recent Struggles Open a Door

Standing in Sugano’s way for the evening will be Taj Bradley, the 25-year-old right-hander who is one of Minnesota’s better stories. He is 6-3 on the year with a 4.11 ERA over 14 starts. He has struck out 84 batters in 76.2 innings.

While those numbers look good, his last seven haven’t been that good. His ERA went up to 5.55 and he was pulled against Detroit after just 4.1 innings.

Then door is cracked open for the Rockies on Friday, now they just need to take advantage of it.

Young Core Getting Another Chance

Colorado Rockies center fielder Mickey Moniak | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Colorado’s lineup has featured a mix of veterans and young contributors starting to make a splash in MLB. The Rockies were relieved to get their best hitter back from the IL in Mickey Moniak, and he will be hitting second.

Cole Carrigg hit the major league level and never looked back. He will stay in the lineup on Friday, batting at seventh and playing center.

Warren Schaeffer and Paul DePodesta have been assembling a young core that is starting to pull together and prove its worth. The at-bats continue for them even if the wins are a little harder to come by.

Here is the lineup for Friday as the Rockies kick off the three-game series:

1. RF Jake McCarthy
2. LF Mickey Moniak
3. C Hunter Goodman
4. 1B TJ Rumfield
5. 3B Willi Castro
6. DH Troy Johnston
7. CF Cole Carrigg
8. SS Ezequiel Tovar
9. 2B Edouard Julien

Road Struggles Loom Large

While the Rockies’ record isn’t where the focus should be, it is a fact that the road has been a struggle. At just 14-27, the team has clearly been uncomfortable away from Coors Field.

Target Field won’t be a walk in the park either. Minnesota will hold the advantage there, and they have a lineup that can do damage. Bradley’s recent struggles will give the Rockies a chance if Sugano can eat up some innings and keep the Twins under control.

The Rockies are not playing for October, but these games are still meaningful in the rebuild process.

The first pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. MDT.