SAN FRANCISCO — Strike three, by swinging or by looking, has been an all-too-common occurrence for the Rockies early this season.
They entered Thursday night’s game against the Giants at Oracle Park with 109 strikeouts in 12 games, an average of 9.1 whiffs per game. That ranked as fourth-most in the National League, with the Mets (10.6) leading the way.
Pair the strikeouts with Colorado’s lack of power — just eight home runs — and it’s easy to see why the offense (.216 average) has stalled during the club’s 3-9 start.
There are plenty of reasons for all of the Ks:
— The Rockies have faced some tough pitchers, including Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell and the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler.
— Young players, pressed into duty because of injuries, are fanning at a high rate. Raimel Tapia had nine strikeouts in 24 at-bats entering Thursday, and Garrett Hampson had nine in 30 at-bats.
— Veterans, in particular, center fielder Ian Desmond, appear to be pressing. Desmond, batting just .150, had 15 strikeouts in 40 at-bats (37.5 percent).
Manager Bud Black, however, provided another reason for all of those Ks in the scorebook.
“We’re expanding too much on the breaking pitch,” he said.
A look inside the numbers confirms that. According to Baseball Savant, the Rockies are striking out on breaking balls more than any other team in the National League. Plus, the Rockies have been chasing bad pitches. The Rockies’ swing rate at pitches outside the strike zone is 32.8 percent, according to Fangraphs. That ranks as fourth-worst in the NL.
Last season, when Colorado hit a franchise low .256, they struck out 1,397 times, an average of 8.6 times per game, eighth most in the NL.
Injury updates. Three players — outfielder David Dahl (left-side core injury), first baseman Daniel Murphy (broken left index finger) and left-hander starter Tyler Anderson (left knee sprain) — are receiving treatment and working out at the Rockies’ facility in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Murphy, out since March 30, was scheduled to visit a hand specialist Thursday. Dahl ran and played long toss, and according to Black, “felt great.”
But Black did caution that a core injury like Dahl’s has to be monitored carefully.
“We are going to make sure he’s healed and he goes through practice at a high-effort level before we activate him,” Black said. “He’s got to prove himself through running and throwing. Full-intensity swings are important before he plays.
“This is not one of those injuries where you can sort of nurse it through. When you swing the bat, you have to make sure you can turn it loose.”
Infielder Ryan McMahon, who is with the team in San Francisco, said his sprained left elbow has improved significantly. He was able to play catch Thursday.
Bochy tribute. Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who has announced that this is his final season, received a nice tribute from Black.
“Competing against him in the division, I’ve come to realize what a great manager he is,” Black said. “There is no better in-game strategist than Bruce. And getting to know him more personally over the last number of years, I’ve found he’s a really good guy.
“I don’t want to (admit he’s retiring) because I think he’s good for the game. He’s a throwback. He’s good with people, he’s great with players and he’s got a great baseball mind.”
On Deck
Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (0-2, 11.88 ERA) vs. Giants LHP Drew Pomeranz (0-1, 4.00)
8:15 p.m. Friday, Oracle Park
TV:հոRadio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Simply put, the Rockies need better from Bettis. In each of his first two starts, the right-hander allowed six runs and got the hook early. In 15 career appearances (10 starts) against the Giants, Bettis is 3-4 with a 4.59 ERA. He’s 1-1 with a 4.81 ERA in four career starts at Oracle Park. Pomeranz spent three seasons with the Rockies (2011-13), going 4-14 with a 5.20 ERA. He’ll be facing the Rockies for the fifth time in his career. In four previous games (two starts), he’s 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA.
Trending: Trevor Story tortured San Francisco pitching in 2018, batting .368 (28-for-76) with six home runs, two doubles, two triples, six stolen bases and 16 RBIs.
At issue: The Rockies, off to a 3-9 start, need to find a way to win in San Francisco. Why? Because they have a tough schedule looming. Following this six-game road trip (four at the Giants, two at San Diego), they’ll come home to host National League East contenders Philadelphia and Washington before heading back on the road to play at Atlanta and Milwaukee. The Rockies last won a series in San Francisco on April 13-16, 2017.
Upcoming pitching matchups
Saturday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-2, 5.40) at Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-2, 3.32), 2:05 p.m., FS1
Sunday: Rockies RHP German Marquez (1-1, 3.00) at Giants LHP Derek Holland (1-1, 3.38), 2:05 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: Rockies RHP Jeff Hoffman (0-0, 0.00) at Padres LHP Joey Lucchesi (2-1, 4.40), 8:10 p.m., ATTRM
