Colorado Rockies: Previewing a massive matchup in Milwaukee

DENVER, CO - MAY 12: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies circles the bases after hitting a 2 RBI home run in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on May 12, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MAY 12: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies circles the bases after hitting a 2 RBI home run in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on May 12, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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It won’t get the attention it deserves (after all, the Red Sox and Yankees are playing each other), but this weekend’s series between the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee is one that could have big ramifications for the National League playoff chase.

After the Colorado Rockies dropped three of four contests in St. Louis to begin this seven-game road trip through the National League Central, the team sits 1.5 games out of the National League West lead and second Wild Card spot. The Brewers, meanwhile, are just one game behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. They are also leading the Wild Card chase, three games ahead of the Rockies.

Milwaukee took three of four games from the Rockies in May at Coors Field and was right on Colorado’s heels last season when the Rockies grabbed the final Wild Card spot. For the last two years, these teams have been on the rise and they have been chasing each other ever since.

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There will be those who will shrug off this series as just another August encounter. It’s anything but that. When a team gets a chance to meet the team it is chasing in the postseason standings, every game counts. That grows exponentially when the matchup begins in your 109th game of the season.

German Marquez, Tyler Anderson and Jon Gray will draw the starts in Milwaukee and will face new Brewers weapons in Mike Moustakas and Jonathan Schoop. The Brewers also bolstered their bullpen with the acquisition of Joakim Soria from the Chicago White Sox. Milwaukee was busy at the trade deadline while Colorado once again focused on its bullpen, acquiring Seunghwan Oh from the Toronto Blue Jays.

Milwaukee focused on offense in the offseason (Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain) while Colorado focused on its bullpen (Bryan Shaw and Wade Davis). The Brewers pulled off a comeback win against Davis in one of its wins at Coors Field earlier this season, one of the Colorado closer’s five missed save opportunities.

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Can Milwaukee put a bigger dent in Colorado’s chase for its first division crown? Can the Rockies bullpen find its rhythm and live up to its “super bullpen” status? Those are plenty more questions will be answered this weekend in what will be a very big and interesting matchup in Milwaukee.