The Rockies Offense Is Historic, But Kyle Freeland's 12.46 May ERA Says They Have No Answers

Alright, so you’ve gotta hear about what’s going down in MLB right now. It’s wild! We're talking about two teams, the Pirates and the Rockies, heading into a series with absolutely *bonkers* momentum shifts. The Pirates were looking rough earlier this month, dropping nine of 13 games, but they just snagged two straight from the A's. And the Rockies? Man, their offense just dropped a franchise-record 23 runs in a game! But then you look at their starter for Friday, Kyle Freeland, and his May numbers are so brutal, it makes you wonder if anyone can stop the bleeding on the mound. It's a clash of two surging offenses, and one really, really struggling lefty.

Pirates Batters Are Heating Up, But Can Their Pitching Hold?

Let’s be real, the Pirates had a super rough start to June. Losing nine out of 13? Ouch. But hey, credit where it’s due, they bounced back by sweeping the A's and actually took that series. And what made the difference? Their bats, plain and simple. They were slumping hard, putting up just 16 runs over five games. Then, BAM! They exploded for 18 runs in their last two games, with double-digit hits in both. Ryan O'Hearn went off for a career-high six RBIs in their 12-4 win Wednesday, Marcell Ozuna finally got his first homer since May 15, and every single starter got a hit. O'Hearn nailed it, saying, "That's a key for us, quality at-bats and production up and down the lineup. Any stretch that we've had that's been really good this season, the common denominator has been the offense has been kind of relentless up and down the lineup." But can Bubba Chandler, their righty starter for Friday

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, keep pace? He’s 2-7 with a 4.76 ERA, and he hasn't even pitched past the sixth inning all season. Denver is no joke for pitchers, so the offense better stay red-hot.

Rockies Offense Is Unstoppable, But Freeland's May Was a Nightmare

Now, let's talk about the Rockies. Their offense has been absolutely *on fire*. They’ve scored four or more runs in their last six games, including that insane 23-9 franchise record against the A's in Las Vegas. Even though they lost two of three to the Cubs on their road trip, they still put up 15 runs in that series. Hunter Goodman blasted his team-leading 21st homer on Wednesday, but the real showstopper was rookie Sterlin Thompson, who hit his *first two career home runs* in that 8-6 loss. MLB.com says he’s only the sixth Rockies player ever to do that! Thompson was pumped, saying, "It's a great moment for sure, a cool spot to get the first one and then go to the next (at-bat) and hit the second one." But here's the kicker: Freeland, their starting pitcher for Friday, is rocking a 1-7 record with a brutal 7.98 ERA. He hasn't won a game since April 7, and in May, he went 0-4 with a mind-boggling 12.46 ERA over five starts. And in June? An equally rough 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA through three outings. He’s given up five or more earned runs in six of his last eight starts. That's rough, man. So, Friday night kicks off this three-game series in Denver. We’ve got Bubba Chandler and his 4.76 ERA going against Kyle Freeland, who's limping in with a 7.98 ERA. Both offenses are scorching hot. This isn't just a pitching duel, it's going to be a battle to see which bullpen can survive, and which offense can keep their foot on the gas. Get ready, because it's going to be a slugfest.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.