Colorado Rockies: Pitching updates for Opening Day, Scott Oberg

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black provided plenty of updates regarding some of his key pitchers on Monday.

In a Zoom call with members of the media covering the Colorado Rockies, including Rox Pile, Black revealed that he had set his pitching rotation for Colorado’s first series of the shortened 2020 season, beginning Friday in Arlington against the Texas Rangers.

German Marquez will draw the Opening Day start in Texas on Friday night, going up against Lance Lynn, who was named as the Opening Day starter for the Rangers almost a month ago.

This will be the first career Opening Day start for the 25-year-old right-hander. Last season, he went 12-5 with a 4.76 ERA and struck out 175 in 174.0 innings pitched.

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Last year’s Opening Day starter, Kyle Freeland, will start on Sunday for the Rockies. Jon Gray, who was the Opening Day starter in 2017 and 2018, will be on the hill for Saturday’s matchup at Globe Life Field.

Colorado will have an off day on Monday before starting a two-game series in Oakland against the A’s. Antonio Senzatela, who is slated to start Wednesday’s exhibition game in Texas against the Rangers, will likely get the call to start that game. The Rockies could then conceivably bring back Marquez and flip the rotation for the series finale on Wednesday. If that happens, the Rockies wouldn’t have to worry about naming a fifth starter until an August 3 home matchup against San Francisco.

Speaking of the exhibition games against the Rangers, it is likely that reliever Scott Oberg will see some action during one of the two slated contests (more than likely coming on Tuesday). The 30-year-old right-hander has been bothered by a back strain throughout summer camp and made his first appearance on the mound on Sunday night, pitching a clean inning and retiring David Dahl, Trevor Story, and Charlie Blackmon in order.

How Oberg responds this week in Texas will likely determine if he will be available for duty in Friday’s season opener. Black has slated Wade Davis in as the team’s closer. However, Oberg has been Colorado’s most consistent and effective reliever over the last two seasons.

Colorado’s first exhibition game against the Rangers is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. (Mountain) on Tuesday and can be seen locally on MLB Network.