Colorado Rockies vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Predictions June 15th 2024

Pirates’ Paul Skenes Impacting Games Despite Not Facing Rockies

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie sensation Paul Skenes has valuable experience pitching in altitude, making his advice particularly credible for his teammates playing in Denver. While Skenes isn’t scheduled to pitch during the Pirates’ series against the Colorado Rockies this weekend, he provided some sage advice for Saturday night’s starter, Jared Jones.

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Skenes’ Altitude Advice

Key Insights

“Don’t complicate it,” Skenes said on Friday. “The game doesn’t change, so don’t complicate it in your mind. You might have to adjust, but the game’s still the same.” Skenes’ words are grounded in his experience pitching two years at Air Force, located north of Colorado Springs, before transferring to LSU. The altitude of 5,280 feet makes pitching challenging, and it will be Jones’ first start at Coors Field.

Saturday’s Pitching Matchup

Jared Jones for the Pirates

Jones (4-5, 3.27 ERA), a right-hander, will be taking Skenes’ advice as he prepares to face the Rockies. Jones, like Skenes, made his major league debut this season and has shown promise. He won his first start, striking out 10 Miami Marlins in a 9-3 road win on March 30. When he faced the Rockies on May 4 in Pittsburgh, he tied his career high with 10 strikeouts and allowed just one hit in seven innings. Despite his strong performance, Jones didn’t factor into the decision in the Pirates’ 1-0 victory.

Ty Blach for the Rockies

Ty Blach, a left-handed pitcher for Colorado, will face Jones (2-4, 4.84 ERA). With one start, Blach has faced Pittsburgh five times in his career, going 0-1 with a 6.17 earned run average. In the wake of joining the revolution on May 12, Blach has pitched well at home, flaunting a 2-2 record with a 3.86 Period in seven appearances (five beginnings). As a Colorado local, Blach knows about the difficulties of pitching at elevation and stays certain about his capacity to adjust.

“I thought I threw the ball pretty well in the rotation last season, and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Blach said recently. “And I know I can pitch in this ballpark and adapt to the altitude changes. So I’m going to continue to refine my craft and do the best I can to help this team win baseball games.”

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Recent Team Performances and Injuries

Pirates’ Recent Performance

The Pirates won the opener of the series 5-2 on Friday, demonstrating resilience and strong pitching. However, they may have to cope without some key players on Saturday. Shortstop Oneil Cruz was a late scratch from Friday’s lineup due to left ankle soreness, and catcher Henry Davis left the game in the seventh inning with concussion-like symptoms.

“He took a shot an inning before and came up to me and said he didn’t look right,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Davis. “He’s going through the concussion protocol.”

Rockies’ Recent Performance and Injuries

The Rockies placed catcher Elias Diaz on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain, retroactive to Tuesday. However, they welcomed back Nolan Jones from the IL on Friday. Jones, who had not played since April 28 due to a back strain, finished 0-for-2 with two walks and two strikeouts in his return.

Conclusion

Jared Jones will attempt to use Paul Skenes’ advice for success in his first start at Coors Field in Saturday’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies’ counterattack will be led by Ty Blach, who is certain of his ability to pitch at high altitude. The two groups are managing key wounds, making the commitments from their beginning pitchers significantly more critical. The exhibitions of Jones and Blach, alongside essential changes by their particular directors, will assume a critical part in deciding the result of this crucial game.

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