San Francisco Giants vs Colorado Rockies Picks and Predictions July 26th 2024

‘Frustrated’ Kris Bryant Aims to Heat Up as Rockies Visit Giants

Kris Bryant continues a pre-trade deadline showcase at the site of his stat-padding in 2021 when the Colorado Rockies visit the San Francisco Giants for a four-game series beginning Friday night. The set matches the bottom two teams in the National League West. The Giants are potentially looking to buy before Tuesday’s deadline, while the Rockies are sure to be on the receiving end of calls.

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Bryant’s Recent Performance

The much-maligned Bryant likely put his name on some watch lists with three hits and three runs Wednesday in Colorado’s 20-7 home win over the Boston Red Sox. The offensive show came one day after the 32-year-old returned from a seven-week absence due to back soreness to make an eye-catching, running catch in right field.

“I’ve been very frustrated for a while now,” said Bryant, who is hitting .200 (19-for-95) in 26 games this season. “But I’m trying to dig myself out of a hole of injuries. Hopefully, I can finish strong and get a good number of games.”

Historical Context with Giants

The Giants have seen this previously. Dueling the Los Angeles Dodgers in a noteworthy NL West race in 2021, San Francisco acquired the 2016 NL Most Valuable Player from the Chicago Fledglings at the trade deadline for a pair of small time players. Bryant hit .262 with seven homers and 22 RBIs north of 52 games down the stretch in 2021, assisting the Giants with holding off the Dodgers and earn the home-field advantage in the NL Division Series. He went 8-for-17 (.471) with a homer in a five-game series.

Contract and Future

The four-time All-Star then became a free agent and signed a seven-year, $182 million contract with the Rockies in March 2022. He has four years and $108 million remaining on his deal.

Upcoming Matchup

Coming off 2-1 series wins over the Giants and Red Sox at home, the Rockies had Thursday off, increasing the chances Bryant will be in the starting lineup in Friday’s series opener in San Francisco. If so, he would be facing left-hander Kyle Harrison (5-4, 3.86 ERA) for the first time. The 22-year-old threw five shutout innings, allowing one hit, in an eventual 7-3 loss at Colorado in his most recent start on July 19. He has never lost to the Rockies in his career, going 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four starts.

Giants’ Recent Performance

The Giants made the short flight home Thursday night from Los Angeles after a 6-4 misfortune to the Dodgers that manager Sway Melvin labeled “disappointing.” The guests had rallied into a tie in the eighth inning prior to surrendering the game’s last two runs.

“Pretty deflating game,” Melvin noted. “(A) 2-5 road trip. Here we go. Not adequate at the present time. Not what we anticipated, not what we wanted. We must return home and play better.”

Pitching Matchup

Having dealt with Clayton Kershaw in the outing finale, the Giants are currently booked to face another left-hander in Rockies veteran Kyle Freeland (2-3, 5.63 ERA). The 31-year-old was the triumphant pitcher in a 4-3 home win over the Giants last Saturday, allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings. In spite of allowing a home hurry to Tyler Fitzgerald, Freeland further developed his career record against the Giants to 8-6 with a 3.89 ERA north of 23 starts. He has a lifetime 2.54 ERA north of eight starts in San Francisco. Also having beaten the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 on the road on July 10, Freeland has won back-to-back starts interestingly since his initial two excursions of the 2023 season in March and April.

Conclusion

As the Rockies and Giants prepare to face off, Kris Bryant’s performance remains a focal point amid trade speculation. With the two teams hoping to work on their standings, the series offers a critical chance for players and management alike. For Bryant, this series could be pivotal in showcasing his value to potential trade partners, while the Giants aim to quickly return from a challenging road trip and set their situation in the NL West.