The Rockies are making a lineup call that could say a lot about the rest of the season.
Against the Cardinals on Friday night, Colorado is going with Cole Carrigg at shortstop and batting him fifth, while Ezequiel Tovar is out of the card again. It’s the third straight time Tovar has been left off against a right-handed starter, and in that stretch he’s started twice versus lefties.
That usage pattern is hard to miss, especially with Tovar’s bat lagging well behind the standard he’s set in Colorado. He enters with a .209/.256/.333 slash line and a .589 OPS, numbers that make this more than just a routine night off. Carrigg, meanwhile, gives the Rockies another look at the position and may be applying real pressure as the season winds down.
Friday’s game at Coors Field is set for 6:40 p.m. MT, with Ryan Feltner taking the ball for Colorado against St.
Louis right-hander Andre Pallante. Feltner comes in at 5-9 with a 5.84 ERA and 76 strikeouts, while Pallante is 12-6 with a 3.57 ERA and 97 strikeouts.
Colorado will try to build on the momentum from Wednesday night’s wild finish against the Orioles. The Rockies were down 3-2 in the ninth before tying it, then fell behind by two again in the 11th and still found a way to finish the job.
Rumfield and Amador helped set the table for Brett Sullivan, who delivered a two-out, two-run single for a 6-5 walk-off win. Carrigg had three hits, while McCarthy, Rumfield, and Amador each finished with two.
Tomoyuki Sugano gave up three runs over six innings.
That win gave Colorado back-to-back victories and moved the club to 54-86.
The Rockies’ lineup still has some punch in it. Goodman remains the big bat in the middle, carrying a .252/.318/.537 slash line, an .855 OPS and 36 home runs into Friday’s game. He’s batting third behind McCarthy and Moniak, a setup that could create plenty of traffic if Colorado’s top two hitters get on.
McCarthy has been one of the club’s most productive bats, hitting .292/.333/.481 with an .815 OPS. Moniak has brought the power, with 21 home runs and a .500 slugging percentage. If those two can get rolling early, Goodman and Rumfield have a chance to cash in.
Feltner will need to navigate a Cardinals order that includes several left-handed bats near the top. Bryan Torres leads off, Alec Burleson hits third, and Nolan Gorman is seventh.
With his ERA sitting at 5.84, Feltner’s job is straightforward: keep runners off the bases and avoid giving St. Louis extra chances.
For now, though, the biggest storyline is the one at shortstop. Tovar has been a fixture there in recent seasons, but this latest decision suggests Colorado’s patience is being tested. What had looked like the occasional off day is starting to feel like something worth watching closely.
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In a season that has not gone the Rockies way, Sullivan has nonetheless carved out a real role beyond the box score. His positive attitude and veteran presence have made him a morale booster inside the room, the sort of dependable voice and easygoing teammate that can help a lost season feel a little more manageable for everyone around him. [Read more 🡒]