St. Louis @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2024 ) St. Louis 8, Colorado 10
The Colorado Rockies are not in the playoff hunt, but some of their players might be chasing a postseason berth before the end of the month.
The trade deadline is approaching and, according to The Denver Post on Sunday, scouts from several teams were in attendance during the Rockies' 7-1 home loss to Minnesota. There could be more on hand when Colorado opens a three-game home series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.
The Rockies will send left-hander Austin Gomber (0-3, 5.65 ERA) against his former team while St. Louis will counter with right-hander Michael McGreevy (1-1, 4.22).
Colorado has several players who are candidates to be moved before the end of July, including pitchers German Marquez, Jake Bird and Kyle Freeland as well as position players. Third baseman Ryan McMahon is one of those who could be on the move, but he isn't focusing on that possibility.
"It drives my wife crazy," McMahon told MLB.com after homering in Saturday's win. "I try not to look at it, dude. If I'm going somewhere else, I'm going to do the same stuff that I do here."
McMahon, the Rockies' lone representative in the 2024 All-Star Game, struggled early this season but has 15 home runs after going deep in back-to-back games to open the second half. He doubled twice on Sunday and is hitting .217 -- and .204 in July -- but is a Gold Glove finalist at third.
Gomber, despite not winning yet this season, is also a candidate to be moved. He can improve his profile against a Cardinals team he has faced six times -- four starts -- and is 1-2 with a 6.67 ERA in 27 innings.
St. Louis is in the hunt for one of the three NL wild-card spots but has dropped its first three out of the break and is 3 1/2 games back of the final playoff berth. The next week will help the Cardinals determine if they will sell at the deadline, and that could mean closer Ryan Helsley's future with St. Louis is short.
Helsley has 19 saves and could go to a contender in need of a closer or a set-up man in the late innings.
"I really wish I could keep that (veteran) role, stay here and carry on that Cardinal tradition, but we'll see what happens," Helsley said. "Right now, I'm just trying to take things day by day and win games."
St. Louis can turn things around against a Colorado squad trying to avoid the worst season in the modern era. The Cardinals have six games against the Rockies over the next three weeks and could pick up ground in the NL postseason chase.
It starts with McGreevy, who has made six starts and two relief appearances in his young career. He has faced Colorado once, on Sept. 24, 2024, at Coors Field, where he gave up three runs over five innings but didn't factor into the decision in a 7-3 St. Louis victory.
His last start was against the Chicago Cubs on June 24, when he allowed five runs over 4 2/3 innings.
--Field Level Media