Colorado Rockies: Five things to pay attention to in the Giants series

The Rockies will avoid the Giants hottest starting pitcher

The Giants have had an odd schedule to start the season, including a Sunday off-day so their starting rotation is a bit out of whack. Outside of Friday, they haven’t even officially announced their starters for the rest of the series.

However, they will avoid facing Kevin Gausman, who pitched on Wednesday before the Giants had their second off-day on Thursday. Gausman, the Denver native who graduated from Grandview High School in Aurora, leads the NL in innings pitched (13 2/3 IP) in two starts. He has an ERA of 1.32. In that span, he has only walked three batters and he has struck out 11.

So the Rockies will catch a break there.

An old friend will be closing games for them

The Giants closer is former Rockies reliever Jake McGee.

McGee, 34, pitched in the Dodgers bullpen and pitched well (2.66 ERA, 1.67 FIP in 24 games) so, this offseason, the Giants signed him to become their closer.

Thus far, he has continued the success he had for the World Champs as in 2021, he leads the NL in appearances (4) and he already has two saves. In four innings, he has allowed two baserunners (one on a walk and one on a hit batsman). No hits allowed and he has struck out five.

The Rockies would have loved to have that in 2018 and/or 2019 when he combined to have a 5.54 ERA in the two seasons but he struggled at Coors Field (and going between altitude and sea level) at the end of his Rockies tenure, like many pitchers have.

Now that he doesn’t have to do that often, he looks like a much better pitcher.