With the second half of the 2021 Major League Baseball season underway following the All-Star Game at Coors Field, here are five Rockies storylines (minus trade possibilities) to watch the rest of the summer.
1. Road infamy. Colorado is currently an MLB-worst 9-34 on the road, meaning the team needs nine more victories away from LoDo in order to avoid tying the record for worst road winning percentage in a 162-game season. That dubious mark is shared by the 1963 Mets and the 2010 Pirates, both of whom went 17-64 (.210).
2. Kyle Freeland. A left shoulder strain suffered during spring training cost him the first couple months of the season, then recurring finger blisters were cause for concern before the all-star break. But Freeland has looked good in three July starts, with a 3.18 ERA while holding opponents to a .234 average.
3. No-no watch. German Marquez has flirted with a no-hitter twice, last year in San Francisco and this year in LoDo. One doesn’t even have to put on purple-tinted glasses to realize that when he’s on, Easy Cheese is the Rockies’ best chance at the team’s second no-no and first since Ubaldo Jiménez in 2010.
4. Spoiler series. Colorado can further dent the Cubs’ dwindling playoff hopes during a three-game series Aug. 3-5 at Coors Field. And the Rockies can play September spoiler within the division as well, with two home series against the Giants (Sept. 6-8, 24-26) and one against the Dodgers (Sept. 21-23).
5. Black’s swan song? Manager Bud Black is under contract through 2022, but with uncertainty about the direction of the front office, Oct. 3 in Arizona could very well be his last game managing in a Colorado uniform. The chance of that being true increases if the Rockies make an outside hire for GM this offseason.
— Kyle Newman, The Denver Post
If you enjoy The Denver Post’s sports coverage, we have a new subscription offer for you!
Whatap on tap?
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
Ask the Expert
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Tap here to ask Patrick Saunders.
+Want to chat about the Rockies?.
Get in Touch
If you see something thatap cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at jbailey@denverpost.comortweet me
