The Colorado Rockies have a huge opportunity in Los Angeles this week

Don’t tell me it’s too early. I know it’s too early. And just shy of one-third of the Colorado Rockies‘ schedule left is against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. I get it. It’s May.

But…

The Rockies have a monumental three-game series against the Dodgers that starts this evening. Okay, as monumental as a series in May can get.

The last time mountain met ocean beachside, it was for a four-gamer that saw altitude kick sea-level in a star-studded sweep for just the second time in franchise history. The heater lasted six games into Arizona on the team’s second-to-last road trip of the 2017 season which all but cemented their playoff hopes.

Though the past beatings of these fellow National League West foes are not why this series is important.

It’s the context of now.

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This set has the potential to set the tone for the rest of the season out west.

If you haven’t been following, the-reigning-NL-pennant-taker-Dodgers have gotten off to one of their worst starts in franchise history. They’ve tanked their playoff odds from 95 percent to 40. That was until the last couple of days where the Dodgers have all-the-sudden caught fire in their familiar 2017 form of finding the weirdest ways to win. And they did so in a three-game sweep of the Nationals in D.C., of all teams and places.

That comes in the backdrop of the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks losing 10 of their last 11 games, yet holding on to the top spot.

That’s because the team between the two, the Rockies, have not taken advantage of their home field. Sitting at 25-22, they have only won seven of their 18 home contests. This weekend’s four-game split in San Francisco is fairly nice, but the .500 level ball the Rockies are playing is not.

Colorado has had every opportunity since May began to make a statement. They have not.

A statement would be going into L.A. and grabbing a series win. The longer the Rockies can hold off the Dodgers, the better. They are coming. It’s just a matter of time.

Injuries, World Series hangover and more has bitten the Dodgers … but do not be mistaken like the current math may be. They are coming.

The Rockies know this. And they know their longest road trip of the season is wrapping up in this series ahead of what is their second to-longest homestand. The Rockies can make some big noise the next few weeks.

I get that this sounds all football-y, yet there is a mental aspect to keeping the Dodgers below .500 for a bit longer, not letting them get confidence against you, and putting yourself in a position to get on top of standings at home or even in this series.

It’s weird to think of baseball this way — especially before the All-Star break — because it’s not usually played this way.

As Hall of Famer Yogi Berra once said, “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.” Plus, it’d really help the Rockies’ math.

Next: The top 25 players in the Rockies system under 25 years old

German Marquez takes the hill against young Dodger right-handed flamethrower Walker Buehler at 8:10 p.m. (Mountain) on Monday. Tuesday’s game will feature Chad Bettis on ESPN, while Wednesday will be a rare night game getaway day before a Thursday day off.