Colorado Rockies vs Baltimore Orioles Picks and Predictions August 30th 2024

From Coors Field in Denver, we have the Orioles and Rockies facing off in an interleague matchup. Friday’s matchup has a start time of 8:40 PM ET, and the forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the upper 80s.

Baltimore is currently 2nd in the AL East with a record of 77-58, while the Rockies are 5th in the NL West with a record of 50-85. Colorado comes into the game on a two-game losing streak. Albert Suarez is starting for the Orioles, while the Rockies are starting Austin Gomber. The money line odds have the Orioles favored at -169 compared to the Rockies at +142. The over/under line is currently 11.5 runs, and the Rockies are 5-1 on the under in their last six games.

Baltimore vs. Colorado Key Information

Right-hander Albert Suárez gets the start for the Orioles today as he faces the Rockies on the road. He has made 18 starts this season and has a record of 6-4 with an ERA of 3.18. Suárez’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.27. In his 18 starts, he has turned in four quality starts and is coming off an outing in which he didn’t allow a run. In that start vs. the Red Sox, he went six innings and gave up six hits. Suárez has allowed a total of eight homers this season.

Heading into today’s game, the Orioles are 2nd in the MLB in home runs and are the league’s top team in terms of isolated power, at .192. Overall, they are 3rd in the league in runs per game, averaging 4.9 runs per contest. This number goes up to 5.2 runs per game when they are on the road. As a team, they are batting .250, which is 8th in the league.

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Anthony Santander and Gunnar Henderson are the Orioles’ top home run hitters this season, with 38 and 33 homers, respectively. Santander’s 86 RBIs are the best mark on the team, and Henderson is 2nd with 78 RBIs. Santander is hitting just .236 this season, but Henderson comes into the game with a batting average of .278. Over his last five games, Ramon Urias has gone 5/15 with two homers and seven RBIs.

Left-hander Austin Gomber gets the start for the Rockies today as he faces the Orioles at home. Gomber has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 4-9 with a 4.70 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Gomber has a WHIP of 1.29 and has issued just 2.28 walks per nine innings. Coming into the game, he has a batting average allowed of .259 and has given up a total of 26 home runs. In his last outing, Gomber gave up four earned runs in six innings of work and took the loss. Before that, he had won two straight starts.

So far this season, the Rockies are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. However, they have been a much better offensive team at home, averaging 5 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .244, which is 12th in the league, and have the 16th most home runs in the league. The Rockies have been striking out a lot this season, averaging 9 strikeouts per game.

Colorado comes into the game with a few hitters who have been swinging the bat well of late. Ezequiel Tovar has gone 9/30 in his last seven games with two homers and seven RBIs. Brenton Doyle has also gone deep twice in his last six games while hitting .318. For the season, Doyle is batting .274, and his 22 homers are the best on the team and 15th in the league.

For a money-line pick, we are leaning toward the Rockies to come out on top as the home underdog. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the under, as this is projected to be the 5th highest-scoring game of the day, and our lean is on the under. Colorado starter Austin Gomber has the 6th best innings pitched projection among today’s starters, and Albert Suárez is 2nd in our projections in starting pitcher strikeouts.

Orioles Turn to Albert Suarez Against Rockies to Halt Small Skid

The Baltimore Orioles are set to face the Colorado Rockies on Friday night in Denver, hoping to snap a small losing streak and maintain their position in the competitive American League East. The Rockies, who are trying to avoid a second consecutive 100-loss season, face a daunting task as they go up against one of the top teams in the American League.

Rockies Face Tough Challenge

After a challenging series against the Miami Marlins, in which they lost 12-8 in the finale of a four-game set, the Colorado Rockies now find themselves hosting the Baltimore Orioles, a team with much higher stakes as the season progresses. The Rockies, struggling throughout the season, are looking to salvage some pride and avoid further losses as they close out the year.

Colorado will counter the Orioles with left-hander Austin Gomber, who holds a 4-9 record with a 4.70 ERA. Despite his less-than-stellar win-loss record, Gomber has been a stabilizing presence in the Rockies’ rotation. He has pitched at least six innings in four of his last five starts and holds a 2-2 record with a 4.34 ERA during that span. Friday’s game will mark his first career start against Baltimore, providing a new challenge for the southpaw.

Orioles Rely on Consistent Suarez

The Orioles, who have dropped two straight games to the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a 6-3 loss on Thursday night, are now 1.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East. Baltimore will turn to right-hander Albert Suarez in an effort to end their small skid and regain momentum.

Suarez, who has been a consistent performer for Baltimore this season, enters the game with a 6-4 record and a 3.18 ERA. The 34-year-old pitcher has a brief history against the Rockies, holding a 0-1 record with a 4.15 ERA in four appearances, including one start. All of his outings against Colorado have taken place at Coors Field, where his ERA rises slightly to 4.50.

Suarez’s journey back to the majors has been a remarkable one. After last pitching in the big leagues in 2017 with the San Francisco Giants, he spent time pitching in Japan and South Korea before signing a minor league deal with the Orioles. His return to MLB has been a success, with his consistency playing a crucial role in Baltimore’s strong season.

“You need great stories, you need cool things to happen, and Albert is one of those great stories,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “A guy who’s been a journeyman and has been a huge, huge part of why we have the record we have.”

One of the keys to Suarez’s success has been his ability to generate more power from his legs, leading to increased velocity and better results on the mound.

“As a pitcher, you need to learn how to use power from the ground,” Suarez explained. “I’ve always been strong, but I didn’t know how to use it.”

Rockies Look to Rodgers and Gomber

The Rockies will rely on a lineup that includes some experienced players, such as second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who has been a bright spot for Colorado in the second half of the season. Rodgers, who got off to a slow start this year, has been on a tear in August, batting .316 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. He hit two homers in the Rockies’ most recent game against the Marlins, showing signs of his potential.

“You could nitpick on a number of things, 12 home runs (on the season) and I think there’s more in there and he’d be the first to tell you,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of Rodgers. “The RBI total (48), maybe you can nitpick at that, but he’s doing fine. He’s playing good defense, he’s hitting .274, he’s had a good second half, and hits well at home. Like all of our guys, we’ve got to do a better job of hitting on the road.”

Gomber, who will take the mound for Colorado, has provided stability for the Rockies despite his lack of wins. His ability to eat innings and keep his team in games will be crucial as the Rockies look to compete against a tough Orioles lineup.

Series Outlook

As the Orioles and Rockies prepare to face off, both teams are at different points in their respective seasons. Baltimore is fighting to keep pace in a tight AL East race, while Colorado is playing for pride and looking to avoid another 100-loss season. The outcome of this series could be pivotal for the Orioles as they seek to end their skid and continue their push for the postseason. Meanwhile, the Rockies will aim to use their home-field advantage to steal a win against one of the top teams in the league.