We’ve almost come full circle on the 2024 season. The Cubs’ first home series took place on April 1, 2 and 3 at Wrigley Field against the Rockies, and the Cubs won the series 26-10 against the visitors from Colorado.

That sounds good, but the third of those games, a 9-8 victory, foreshadowed problems in the bullpen. The Cubs nearly blew an 8-2 lead in the seventh inning. The good news is that none of the seven pitchers who appeared in that game are now on the Cubs’ active roster. Five are injured and two are playing on other teams.

Plus, it was cold! The average temperature during the game was 40 degrees. It should be warmer at Coors Field this weekend.

For more information on the Rockies, contact Samantha Bradfield, editor in chief of our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row.

The Colorado Rockies (55-92) are heading for what is likely their second consecutive 100-loss season after surpassing that milestone for the first time in 2023.

Former Cub Kris Bryant has been on the injured list three times this year, most recently being placed on the 10-day list because of a back injury. In his three years with the Rockies, Bryant has yet to play a single full season. (He has played in 159 games.)

Still, it’s been a successful year for the Rockies. They’ve seen 12 rookies debut, matching a franchise record set in 2014 and 2016, and currently have 12 rookies on their active roster. But a young team also brings growing pains. Rockies pitchers have recorded just 1,008 strikeouts, which is both the fewest in the major leagues this season and the fewest of any team through the first 146 games of the season since 2015.

On the batting side, the batters have 1,455 strikeouts, which leads the National League and ranks second behind the Seattle Mariners. The 1,455 strikeouts are the third most in franchise history, with the record being 1,543, set in 2023.

There were some bright spots, however. Centerfielder Brenton Doyle in particular had an absolutely stellar season. In 2023, Doyle won a Gold Glove as a center, but struggled offensively, posting only a .203/.250/.343 batting average in 126 games. This year, Doyle made some changes to his swing and is now hitting .266/.325/459 with 22 home runs, 24 doubles, and 27 stolen bases. Doyle is one of nine players in MLB to have at least 20 doubles, 20 home runs, and 25 stolen bases this season, joining Elly De La Cruz, Francisco Lindor, Bobby Witt Jr., and Shohei Ohtani.

Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar also continues to shine. On Wednesday, Tovar hit his 43rd double of the year, second-best in the NL and the most by a Rockies since Nolan Arenado hit 43 in 2017. Additionally, he is the fourth MLB shortstop to have at least 300 hits, 75 doubles and 35 home runs before his 23rd season, joining Carlos Correa, Alex Rodriguez and Cal Ripken Jr. Defensively, Tovar owns a 9 DRS, which ranks him third among shortstops, and his .988 fielding percentage is second-best in the major leagues behind Dansby Swanson. It’s possible the Rockies will have two Gold Glovers this year!

Finally, the Rockies have also had strong performances from some of their young bullpen pitchers. Luis Peralta, Seth Halvorsen and Jaden Hill — all of whom made their debuts in the last three weeks — have combined to allow just nine baserunners and strike out 14 batters in 15 total innings without allowing a single earned run. Rookie right-hander Victor Vodnik, who made his debut last September, has been a staple in the bullpen, pitching 66 ⅔ innings (the fifth-best pitcher in the NL and the best pitcher among rookie pitchers) and recording nine saves (five of them in August alone!).

Looking ahead to 2025, important questions arise about the future of Bud Black, Charlie Blackmon and Kris Bryant, among others.

Black is just three wins away from tying Clint Hurdle for the most wins in franchise history, but as mentioned, the team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018 and is on the verge of a second straight 100-loss season. He signed a one-year contract extension last February, and there was “talk” of another extension last spring, but nothing has been finalized yet.

Blackmon is coming off his age-37 season and will need a new contract if he wants to return next year. At the end of last season, he signed a one-year, $13 million deal with $2 million in performance bonuses. However, he was not a significant addition to the Rockies’ 2024 lineup.

Finally, the Rockies must decide if it’s worth keeping Kris Bryant after he’s played in just 159 games in three years on his $182 million contract. Maybe it’s time for the team to cut their losses.

Funny fact

How likely are the Cubs to go 1-2 in the series at Coors Field? In 21 three-game series there since 2000, they have won 13 times, including last year and four of five previous times since 2016.

In two other three-game series, the Cubs lost every game.

In all series in Denver since 2000, the Cubs have won 5, lost 16 and tied 3, with a record of 30-44.

(Courtesy of JohnW53 of BCB)

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: Javier Assad, RHP (7-5, 3.14 ERA, 1.344 WHIP, 4.46 FIP) vs. Austin Gomber, LHP (5-10, 4.50 ERA, 1.263 WHIP, 4.79 FIP

Saturday: Jameson Taillon, RHP (10-8, 3.57 ERA, 1.169 WHIP, 3.98 FIP) vs. Kyle Freeland, LHP (5-7, 4.97 ERA, 1.396 WHIP, 4.27 FIP)

Sunday: Kyle Hendricks, RHP (3-11, 6.51 ERA, 1.527 WHIP, 5.21 FIP) vs. Cal Quantrill, RHP (8-9, 4.63 ERA, 1.420 WHIP, 5.05 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Friday: 7:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Saturday: 7:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Sunday: 2:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

forecast

These games are always tough. The Cubs swept the Rockies at Wrigley Field in April (and only the last of the three games was close, and that was due to poor work from the Cubs bullpen), but the Rox are always the better team at home. In 2023, the Cubs came to Coors Field around this time of year, still in the wild-card position, and lost two of three games.

As mentioned above, the Rockies lost 103 games last year and look like they’re headed for another 100-loss season. But their home record of 32-37 isn’t bad.

Still, the Cubs have been playing very well on the road lately and I think they can win two out of three games, with outside chances of another road win.

Next

The Cubs return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics beginning Monday night.