The Colorado Rockies are staring down the barrel of the final game before the All-Star Break, heading into their matchup against the San Francisco Giants with one goal: salvaging a series tie in the Bay Area. This isn't last year's historically miserable squad that was 22-74 at this point and barreling toward 100-plus losses. Nope, the Rockies are sitting at 39-58 right now, still not good, but in that "regular bad," "competitive bad" zone where a foundation feels like it is actually getting built. Hunter Goodman is still their lone All-Star, but at least the offense has seen some serious improvement.
Lorenzen Finally Finds Some Footing After a Rough Start
Taking the mound for the Rockies is veteran righty Michael Lorenzen, who's looking to cap off the first half with another quality start. It's been a grind for Lorenzen this season, struggling immensely for most of it. But man, he's started to turn a corner lately. Five of his last six starts have seen him go at least five innings, which is a big deal considering he only hit that mark in half of his first 14 starts. Even better, he's given up more than two earned runs just once in that stretch! His last outing against the Dodgers was a solid 6-inning quality start in a win, where he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks, while punching out five. Can he carry that momentum into the break?Giants Rookie McDonald's Wild Ride Is a Real Puzzle
On the other side, the Giants are trotting out rookie right-hander Trevor McDonald. This 25-year-old has only made four appearances across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, so this is his first taste of significant big-league action. It's been a mixed bag for him in his 12 starts, rocking a 5.46 ERA with 50 strikeouts over 59.1 innings. His last start against the Blue Jays? A brutal one: eight runs on 11 hits in just 2.1 innings, without a single strikeout. Ouch. But here's the kicker, and why this matchup is so interesting: McDonald has faced the Rockies only once before, and he absolutely carved them up! That lone outing was a seven-inning quality start where he gave up just three earned runs and struck out a career-high 10 batters. His 93.6 MPH sinker, backed up by a slider, cutter, and changeup, does a great job of avoiding hard contact and getting groundballs. So, it's the final game before the break, a series tie hangs in the balance, and it's a veteran trying to keep his recent hot streak alive against a rookie who either gets shelled or dominates the Rockies. You gotta tune in for this one at 1:05 p.m. PT from Oracle Park.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.