​The Colorado Rockies, sitting at 38-57, head to Oracle Park to continue their series with the San Francisco Giants, who at 39-54 are also winding down before the All-Star break. The matchup represents the final set of games for both teams before the midseason pause. Last night’s result was one to forget for Colorado, as they managed only five hits and fell 8-2. It was a tough outing, but the perspective remains more optimistic when looking at the broader trend rather than a single game.
Over a substantial stretch since June 1, Colorado has shown signs of improvement. The club sits at 16-19 in that span, with a run differential of minus three. Offensively, the Rockies have produced a .278/.354/.494 slash line and a 117 wRC+, indicating solid plate discipline and power for the lineup. The bullpen, too, has shown signs of life with a 4.90 ERA in this period, including a 1.64 ERA since the calendar turned to July. The pitching staff has clearly lagged, however, as the rotation has accumulated a 6.23 ERA across the same timeframe.
Tonight, Tanner Gordon will try to flip the script and begin a new chapter for Colorado. The right-hander comes into this start at 0-2 with a 6.95 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 45.1 innings. Gordon’s repertoire features a four-seamer around 93 mph, an upper-80s slider, a mid-80s changeup, and a slower curveball. In his previous outing against San Francisco five days ago, he threw his four-seamer on half of his 94 pitches. The result included four strikeouts, but the Giants hit .571 when they put the ball in play off that pitch, averaging 95.8 mph off the bat and tallying four homers. His slider, by contrast, yielded more manageable contact and a 32% rate of called strikes plus whiffs. Tonight marks Gordon’s fifth start of the season and his second road appearance, during which he has produced a 3.32 ERA across 19 innings away from Coors Field.
On the other side, veteran left-hander Robbie Ray gets the start for San Francisco. Ray enters with an 8-6 mark, a 3.45 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and 86 strikeouts across 101.2 innings. In his latest outings, Ray has been efficient, allowing just three earned runs over his last 28.1 innings. He has shifted away from relying heavily on his four-seam fastball, leaning more on his sinker, slider, changeup, and knuckle curve. That mix tends to be distributed a bit differently depending on the batter; left-hand hitters often see more sliders, while right-handed hitters see a broader array of offerings.
Colorado has already faced Ray twice this season, with mixed results. On May 31, the Rockies forced him to grind through 96 pitches over four innings of one-run ball, while on July 4, Cole Carrigg delivered a first-inning three-run homer, helping Colorado grab an early lead before Ray settled in to complete six frames. Carrigg continues to be among Colorado’s hottest hitters, complementing a recent surge from teammates like Jake McCarthy and Kyle Karros.
The game plan for Colorado is straightforward: Gordon needs to keep the damage to a minimum and hand the game to a bullpen that has been more reliable in recent weeks. If Gordon can prevent the early damage and give the Rockies a competitive start, the offense and bullpen, which have shown improved form, will have a better chance to close the gap and give Colorado a chance to win.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. MDT. TV coverage is provided by Rockies.TV, and radio can be heard on KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM. For Giants fans, the SB Nation site McCovey Chronicles will have coverage and analysis. As always, players will lineup as announced closer to game time, and fans should stay tuned for updates and postgame reactions.