The Colorado Rockies have actually played a steady brand of baseball over the last month. Leading into this series by the bay, Colorado managed an even 10-10 split over their last 20 games, fueled by a genuine offensive surge. That momentum hit a wall Thursday, though. The bats went entirely cold, managing just two runs on five hits in an 8-2 loss to open the series. Now, they need to figure out how to bounce back tonight.

The San Francisco Giants find themselves in a nearly identical boat near the bottom of the National League standings. While they won that series opener decisively, San Francisco had dropped six of their previous 10 games and posted a losing 9-11 record over their last 20 contests prior to Thursday’s victory. They looked completely different in the opener, however, flashing plenty of offensive life by racking up 13 hits and swatting three home runs while playing clean, error-free defense behind it.

For the Rockies to compete tonight, they have to keep the ball in the yard and quiet a Giants lineup that just hit them hard. Finding a way to generate more consistent offense early in the game is their most realistic path to evening the series. First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. MT on Friday.

The Breakdown

The pitching matchup tonight features Colorado’s Tanner Gordon going up against San Francisco veteran Robbie Ray. WLike most Rockies starters, Gordon’s major issue is a consistent inability to pitch deep into games. He is averaging just four and a half innings per start over his recent outings, which taxes a bullpen that is already heavily relied upon. Gordon has shown an ability to miss bats, posting north of nine strikeouts per nine innings in that span, but he gets severely punished for the strikes he does throw. He is surrendering 2.40 home runs per nine innings with a 7.62 ERA during this recent stretch.

On the other side, Ray enters the contest battling obvious command issues. Across his recent workload, Ray is walking four and a half batters per nine innings, while his strikeout numbers sit at a modest 6.27 K/9. He has managed damage relatively well to keep his ERA hovering near 4.00, but those free passes present a glaring opportunity for the opposition to create traffic on the basepaths.

The X-factor in this matchup is whether the Rockies can rediscover the offensive form they showcased before arriving in San Francisco. While they managed only two runs in that 8-2 loss, Colorado has been highly productive lately. Over their 10 games leading into this series, the Rockies averaged a strong 6.50 runs and 8.90 hits per contest, blasting 15 home runs in that stretch.

For Colorado to pull out a victory tonight, Gordon has to navigate the middle innings and keep the ball in the park. If he can survive the Giants’ lineup and hand the game over to the bullpen relatively intact, the Rockies have a clear path. Their lineup needs to stay patient, capitalize on Ray’s tendency to issue walks, and tap back into the power that fueled their offense over the past week and a half.

Odds & Lines

  • Moneyline: Giants -156 / Rockies +130
  • Run Line: Giants -1.5 (+137) / Rockies +1.5 (-166)
  • Over/Under: 8 (Over -115 / Under -106)

Our Pick

The smartest play tonight isn’t trying to pick a side between two struggling teams; it is targeting the total. With Robbie Ray battling command issues and giving out free passes, and Tanner Gordon struggling to keep the ball in the yard, there should be plenty of traffic early and often.

When these two volatile starters inevitably hand things over to the relievers, neither side offers much shutdown relief to keep the scoring at bay. The Rockies enter the matchup with a 4.96 bullpen ERA, while the Giants’ relief corps sits at an underwhelming 4.47 ERA.

Caesars has the total set at 8, and the over looks highly appealing given the glaring vulnerabilities on both pitching staffs. If you are looking to get in on the action, be sure to take advantage of the Caesars promo for new users. Given Colorado’s offensive surge before this series and San Francisco’s sudden power display in the opener, eight runs feels like a very manageable bar for these two flawed run-prevention units to clear.

Pick: Over 8 (-115)

Player Prop Pick

If you are looking for a strong player prop tonight, turn your attention to Colorado catcher Hunter Goodman. The Rockies slugger brings a brilliant combination of recent form and historical dominance into this matchup against Ray, offering a clear statistical edge.

Ray has been heavily punished by right-handed batters this season, surrendering 14 of his 15 allowed home runs to righties to go along with a .404 slugging percentage against them. Goodman, meanwhile, is seeing the ball incredibly well right now. Over his last 10 games, the reigning All-Star is batting .333 with a .600 slugging percentage and a 1.029 OPS.

The most compelling angle here, however, is their head-to-head history. In 14 career plate appearances against Ray, Goodman has punished the veteran left-hander, racking up seven hits for a .538 batting average and a .692 slugging percentage. When a player has that kind of sustained, dominant success against a specific pitcher, it is wise to bank on another productive showing at the plate. If you want more Rockies news and betting insights as the season rolls on, be sure to check back daily.

Pick: Hunter Goodman Over 1.5 Total Bases

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Sportradar Content Studio contributed to this story.