Barstool Bush
Predictions

Cleveland Guardians at Colorado Rockies

By Bush StaffUpdated 6h ago·1 min read
Cleveland GuardiansCLE(63-66)
Colorado RockiesCOL(50-78)
AT
6:10 PM MT
Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Guardians(63-66)
WWLWL
Rockies(50-78)
LLLLW
Best BetGuardians -133

Bibee's win-loss record is ugly, but he's actually been giving Cleveland length and keeping games manageable most nights out — his record says more about the Guardians' offense than his stuff. Hughes just got shelled in his last outing and Colorado's lineup has nowhere near the firepower to bail him out. This is a fade-the-record spot for Bibee and a lean into the Rockies' broader collapse.

Guardians
  • Won 2 straight, still in muddled wild-card mix
  • Bibee's given length in 7 straight starts
  • Offense ranks near bottom of MLB in runs/game
  • Bibee leads MLB in losses
  • Holderman, Armstrong both out of bullpen mix
Rockies
  • Freeland's last start was 8 strong innings
  • Beat the Giants before this rough skid
  • Lost 4 straight, swept by the Dodgers
  • Hughes was rocked in his last outing
  • Rotation pipeline gutted by 60-day IL arms

First pitch at Coors Field is set for 6:10 PM MT, with Tanner Bibee (4-13, 4.01 ERA) trying to shake off an MLB-worst loss total against Gabriel Hughes (0-4, 6.69 ERA), who's looking to bounce back after getting rocked for 7 earned runs in just 4 innings his last time out against the Giants.

Tanner Bibee
Tanner Bibee
(4-13)·4.01 ERA
Aug 16 vs Padres
L
6.0IP
3ER
3K
3BB
96P
08/22 Lineup
Gabriel Hughes
Gabriel Hughes
(0-4)·6.69 ERA
Aug 16 @ Giants
ND
4.0IP
7ER
2K
1BB
81P
08/22 Lineup

Neither bullpen is in great shape right now. Cleveland's Colin Holderman is day-to-day with wrist inflammation and Shawn Armstrong is out for the year on the 60-day IL, thinning an already stretched relief corps. Colorado's situation is worse: Jose Quintana, Chase Dollander and a handful of other arms are all on the 60-day IL, which is a big reason the Rockies keep bleeding runs late.

None of that has stopped Cleveland from being the clear favorite here, and the board reflects a Rockies team that's lost 4 straight and is running out of ways to keep games close.

Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians
(63-66)
Aug 22W@ Rockies9-1
Aug 20Wvs Giants5-2
Aug 19Lvs Giants0-1
Aug 18Wvs Giants8-1
Aug 16Lvs Padres0-5
Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
(50-78)
Aug 22Lvs Guardians1-9
Aug 20Lvs Dodgers4-6
Aug 19Lvs Dodgers6-7
Aug 18Lvs Dodgers5-11
Aug 16W@ Giants13-7

Bibee's box score doesn't do him justice — he's gone at least 5 innings in 7 straight starts, and the losses have piled up more because of a Guardians offense that's been quietly one of the worst in the league at scoring runs than anything he's doing wrong on the mound. Colorado, meanwhile, is squeezing what it can out of a lost season: Kyle Freeland turned in 8 strong innings against the Giants his last time out, and the org has been shuffling in young outfielders to see what they've got for next year.

Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians
(4)
  • Day-To-DayColin Holderman (RP) — Holderman was removed from Saturday's 6-1 win over the Padres due to right wrist inflammation, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports. He was credited with a hold while hitting a batter and retiring the other two hitters he faced.08/16
  • 10-Day-ILRhys Hoskins (1B) — Hoskins went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the White Sox.08/19
  • 15-Day-ILSlade Cecconi (SP) — Cecconi (arm) recently threw a bullpen session and is scheduled for another bullpen this week before beginning a rehab assignment, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.08/19
  • 60-Day-ILShawn Armstrong (RP) — The Guardians transferred Armstrong (calf) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.08/05
Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
(10)
  • Day-To-DayKyle Freeland (SP) — Freeland (4-10) allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out two over eight innings to earn the win over the Giants on Friday.08/20
  • 10-Day-ILTyler Freeman (RF) — Freeman (back) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday.08/20
  • 10-Day-ILHunter Goodman (C) — The Rockies placed Goodman on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Aug. 15, due to a left shoulder strain.08/18
  • 60-Day-ILJose Quintana (SP) — Quintana (elbow) threw 45 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday, MLB.com reports.08/19
  • 60-Day-ILChase Dollander (SP) — Dollander underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow Monday, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports.06/23
  • 60-Day-ILWelinton Herrera (RP) — Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer announced Monday that Herrera (elbow) has been diagnosed with a torn UCL and will miss the remainder of the season, Jack Janes of MLB.com reports.06/02
  • 60-Day-ILMcCade Brown (SP) — Brown (shoulder) had been scheduled to throw a live bullpen session this weekend, MLB.com reports.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILRJ Petit (RP) — The Rockies transferred Petit (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Thursday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILPierson Ohl (RP) — The Rockies placed Ohl (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILKris Bryant (DH) — Bryant said Tuesday that the ongoing pain in his back continues to prevent him from participating in baseball activities, though he's still consulting with doctors and trainers for potential rehab options, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08

Add it up and this is a pretty clean matchup on paper — a fringe wild-card team trying to survive its own offense against a 50-78 club playing out the string with half its pitching pipeline in street clothes. Coors Field being Coors Field, don't be shocked if the ball flies regardless of who's actually good.

Sources

MLBCleveland GuardiansColorado RockiesPolymarketKalshiTanner BibeeGabriel Hughes