The Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Coors Field, with first pitch set for 8:40 p.m. ET in a matchup that brings together two clubs trying to find traction in the NL West. Merrill Kelly is listed as the Diamondbacks’ starter, while Kyle Freeland is the expected starter for Colorado.
The game has a clear statistical edge in the batting order as well. Ildemaro Vargas is listed to lead Arizona into the matchup and is hitting.331, good for a fourth-best average in the league, while Troy Johnston is listed for the Rockies and is batting.326, sixth at.326.
Arizona arrives at 20-22 and third in the NL West, a mark that leaves it hovering around the middle of the division without much room to drift. Colorado is 17-27 and fifth in the NL West, a record that has put more pressure on each home series at Coors Field.
The pitching matchup adds to the stakes. Kelly is 2-3 with a 7.62 ERA, while Freeland is 1-4 with a 6.00 ERA, numbers that point to a game where either side could quickly create separation if the first few innings get away from the starters.
This is also a watch guide for fans looking for betting, ticketing and streaming information tied to the game, with those links provided by partners of The Athletic. The matchup comes with a longer injury list on both sides, including Carlos Santana, A.J. Puk, Corbin Burnes, Chase Dollander, Ryan Feltner and Kris Bryant, a reminder that neither club is taking the field at full strength.
For Arizona, the task is simple enough: make a road trip in Denver count against a team sitting lower in the standings. For Colorado, Friday offers a chance to make Coors Field matter before the season slips further from reach.
