Colorado Rockies vs Baltimore Orioles Picks and Predictions September 1st 2024

The Orioles are 2nd in the AL East and have an overall record of 78-59, while the Rockies are 5th in the NL West and have a record of 51-86. Ty Blach is starting for the Rockies, and the Orioles are starting Zach Eflin.

Baltimore is currently favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -192 compared to the Rockies at +160. Sunday’s over/under line is at 11 runs, and first pitch from Coors Field is set for 3:10 PM ET.

Zach Eflin has been pitching well for the Orioles, as he has won his last three starts. Most recently, he faced the Red Sox on August 15th and picked up the win, going six innings and giving up just one earned run. Looking at his overall numbers, Eflin has made 23 starts and has a record of 9-7. His ERA for the season is 3.72, along with a WHIP of 1.14. Opponents have a batting average of .256 off Eflin this season. Out of his 23 starts, Eflin has 10 quality starts, and his ERA on the road is 4.84 compared to 2.52 at home.

Anthony Santander has been one of the league’s top power hitters this season, as his 39 home runs are 3rd in the league and the most on the Orioles. He is also 10th in the league with 88 RBIs. Santander has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 6/19 in his last five games with a home run and two RBIs. Gunnar Henderson is batting .275 for the season and is 2nd on the team with 33 home runs.

As a team, the Orioles are 2nd in the league in home runs and have the top isolated power figure in the league. They are also 4th in the league in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. Overall, they are batting .251, which is 7th in the league.

Left-hander Ty Blach gets the start for the Rockies today and has made 10 starts this season. Blach’s ERA is 6.36, and he has a record of 3-6. So far, he has made two quality starts and is coming off an outing in which he gave up three earned runs out of the bullpen. In that outing, he went two innings of work. Blach has made 18 appearances this season and is averaging just 4.81 strikeouts per nine innings. For the year, he has allowed 13 home runs. Looking at his home/road splits, Blach is 3-4 at home with a 7.8 ERA compared to 0-2 on the road with an 8.7 ERA.

Colorado comes into the game averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the MLB. They have been a better offensive team at home this season, averaging 5 runs per contest. As a team, the Rockies are batting .245, which is 10th in the league, and are also near the top of the league in terms of their batting average on balls in play. The Rockies have been striking out a lot this season and are 28th in the league in walks.

Both Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar have been swinging the bat well for the Rockies this season, with Doyle leading the team with 66 RBIs and Tovar not far behind at 63. Doyle also has a team-high 22 homers, while Tovar has 21. Tovar comes into the game on a six-game hitting streak, and Brendan Rodgers has also been hot of late, going 8/20 with three homers in his last five games.

Orioles’ Playoff Aspirations

As the MLB season heats up, the Baltimore Orioles are laser-focused on making a strong playoff push. Currently trailing the New York Yankees by just 1.5 games in the competitive American League East, the Orioles (78-59) know every game counts. Despite a rocky August, where they posted a 13-15 record, Baltimore is determined to maintain their postseason momentum as they face the Colorado Rockies in the decisive game of their three-game series on Sunday in Denver.

The Orioles have faced some tough competition recently, splitting a series with the Houston Astros, dropping two out of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and now splitting the first two games against the Rockies. But optimism remains high in the Orioles’ camp, with Manager Brandon Hyde praising his team’s grit and perseverance.

Baltimore’s young and talented roster is expected to get a boost as rosters expand on Sunday. The Orioles are likely to call up their top prospect, Coby Mayo, adding more firepower to their lineup for the series finale.

Pitching Matchup

The Orioles will send right-hander Zach Eflin (9-7, 3.72 ERA) to the mound, aiming to start September with a win. Eflin has been a consistent performer for Baltimore, recently delivering a solid outing on August 15, where he allowed just one run on five hits over six innings in a 5-1 victory against the Boston Red Sox. As he faces the Rockies’ lineup, Eflin will look to build on that performance and help his team secure the series win.

Eflin’s history against Colorado has been mixed, with a 2-3 record and a 5.57 ERA in six career starts against the Rockies. But with the stakes high, he’ll be looking to turn those numbers around.

Rockies’ Youth Movement

The Rockies (51-86) are embracing a youth movement this season, focusing on developing their rookies and recent call-ups despite being on pace for their second consecutive 100-loss season. Among the bright spots for Colorado is center fielder Brenton Doyle, who has significantly improved his game this year. After hitting just .203 as a rookie last season, Doyle has raised his batting average to .273 and now leads the team in home runs (22), RBIs (66), and stolen bases (25).

Doyle’s defensive skills have also been impressive, highlighted by a spectacular diving catch and a pinpoint throw to third base to cut down a runner during Friday night’s game.

Rockies’ Pitching Plans

Left-hander Ty Blach (3-6, 6.36 ERA) will take the mound for the Rockies, stepping in for Cal Quantrill, who is out with right triceps inflammation. Blach, recently recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque, has struggled in his limited major league action this season. However, he’ll be looking to provide a solid start for the Rockies in the series finale.

Blach has some history with Baltimore, posting a 1-3 record with an 11.32 ERA in five starts with the Orioles in 2019. However, he also pitched seven strong innings against them in his lone career start against Baltimore, allowing just one run on three hits in a no-decision.

Game Outlook

As the Orioles aim to clinch the series victory and keep pace in the AL East, they will rely on Zach Eflin’s steady presence on the mound and the contributions from their young core, potentially bolstered by the addition of top prospect Coby Mayo. Meanwhile, the Rockies, despite their challenges this season, will look to showcase their promising future by ending the series on a high note with a win, leaning on Blach’s arm and Doyle’s continued development.

For a money line pick, we are leaning towards the Orioles to come out on top on the road vs. the Rockies. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 3rd highest-scoring game of the day, and this one has our highest total home run projection. Neither starter is ranked very high in terms of strikeouts, but between the two, we have Zach Eflin working deeper into the game for the Orioles.