Milwaukee @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 24, 2016 ) Colorado 1, Milwaukee 7

There won’t be any playoff spots on the line Friday when the Colorado Rockies begin a three-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, but several players on both teams are battling for individual honors. The National League home run race features the Rockies’ Nolan Arenado and the Brewers’ Chris Carter, while Colorado second baseman DJ LeMahieu is in line for his first batting title.

The series could also mark the final few games for Colorado manager Walt Weiss, who has failed to lead the Rockies to the postseason during his four-year tenure. “We will go through the same process as we did last year,” general manager Jeff Bridich told reporters. “That is, sitting down after the season is done and having conversations and talking about how the season went and talking about the future.” The Rockies will finish with their sixth consecutive losing season despite the play of Arenado, who leads the NL with 40 home runs, one ahead of both Carter and the Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant. LeMahieu leads the NL with a .349 average and could be rested this weekend as Weiss looks to help keep him ahead of Washington's Daniel Murphy, who is batting .347 and likely will miss this weekend’s series against Miami because of a strained glute.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Brent Suter (2-1, 2.16 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Chad Bettis (13-8, 4.92)

Suter has made 12 consecutive relief appearances since his only major league start Aug. 19 when he allowed four runs over 4 1/3 innings in a 7-6 loss at Seattle. The 27-year-old rookie was promoted from Triple-A Colorado Springs after going 6-6 with a 3.50 ERA in 26 games (15 starts) for the Sky Sox. Suter tossed two scoreless innings Sunday against Cincinnati and has gone 2-0 without allowing a run in his last 12 appearances covering 12 1/3 innings.

Bettis has set career highs in wins, starts (31), innings (179 1/3) heading into his final start of the season. The 27-year-old began September with two impressive outings before struggling in his last two starts, allowing a total of 10 runs (eight earned) over 10 innings. Bettis took the loss against Milwaukee on Aug. 22 when he yielded four runs (three earned) and issued a season-high seven walks while throwing 111 pitches over five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Rockies last month.

2. Colorado LF David Dahl has recorded an extra-base hit in each of his last four games.

3. Brewers SS Jonathan Villar has 19 home runs and 60 stolen bases, leaving him one homer shy of becoming the fourth player in major league history with at least 20 homers and 60 steals.

PREDICTION: Rockies 7, Brewers 5