Colorado Rockies must stockpile wins while they still can

If you haven’t done so already, there should be a huge circle on your calendar drawn around September 7th through the 23rd. During that time, the Colorado Rockies will play 13 out of 16 games against NL West division rivals Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. That stretch of games will more than likely hold the key to the Rockies’ playoff fate.

But before we get to that all important date, the Colorado Rockies can’t overlook the teams that are no longer in playoff contention. In fact, they need to take full advantage of this lull in the schedule and build themselves some cushion in case that stretch is as big as a dogfight as anticipated.

So far the Rockies have failed to do just that by splitting with the Los Angeles Angels, who are out of playoff contention in the American League and were coming off a six-game losing streak heading into the two-game set. The Angels do have two of the top players in the majors with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani but that excuse will definitely not be there in the next seven games as the Rockies face off against the bottom of the NL West.

Starting Thursday, the Rockies will head to meet the San Diego Padres, who hold the National League’s worst record, for a four-game series. The Rockies are 9-6 against the Padres this season, including 4-2 at Petco Park.

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The Rockies should also catch a break by missing starter Joey Lucchesi, who has had Colorado’s number by going 1-0 with a 2.05 ERA in four starts against the Rockies this season.

They then return home Monday for a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants, a team that is technically hanging on by a thread for a playoff spot.

The Rockies are 8-5 against the Giants, including 5-1 at Coors Field, but unfortunately will likely have to face Madison Bumgarner to open up the series.

With 30 games left in the season, the Rockies desperately need to win a minimum of five of the next seven games before the final showdowns with the Diamondbacks and Dodgers commence to likely crown this year’s National League West champion. This would give them some much needed breathing room so the Rockies must not take these next seven games for granted.