Padres Head to Coors Field for Series Against Struggling Rockies

San Diego, California — The San Diego Padres, currently 23-13 and second in the NL West, are set to face off against the struggling Colorado Rockies (6-31) this weekend at Coors Field. The series comes after the Padres began their road trip with four wins, but dropped the last two games in New York.

The Padres are just one game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers for the best record in Major League Baseball. Their strong performance is reflected in a plus-29 run differential, tied for eighth best in the league.

The Rockies, on the other hand, are enduring a rough season with a six-game losing streak and a dismal .162 winning percentage. This puts them on pace for a historic 135-loss season. With a minus-109 run differential and a team ERA of 5.47, they are looking to turn things around against the Padres.

This weekend’s pitching matchup features several key players. On Friday, Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (1-3, 3.90 ERA) aims to improve his performance after a challenging start against the Rockies last season, where he allowed four runs in just 2⅔ innings. The Rockies will counter with RHP Antonio Senzatela (1-5, 5.50 ERA), who has struggled this season, leading the majors in hits allowed.

Saturday’s game showcases Padres RHP Stephen Kolek, who had a strong debut last weekend by pitching 5⅓ shutout innings. He faces Rockies RHP Bradley Blalock, who has given up three home runs in just over 12 innings this season.

Sunday’s matchup could be pivotal for Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (5-1, 2.01 ERA), who has excelled at home but has historically struggled at Coors Field. He’ll go up against Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-6, 9.90 ERA), who has allowed the most earned runs in the majors this season.

The Padres expect second baseman Jake Cronenworth to return from the injured list for this series. Meanwhile, the Rockies are still without several key players, including shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and designated hitter Kris Bryant, adding to their struggles as they look to improve.