Gore is the reason the line looks the way it does. He punched out 9 in his Globe Life debut against the Reds, kept rolling through starts against the Tigers and Yankees, and has been the one Ranger who consistently looks like a problem every fifth day. The 4.50 ERA undersells the stuff — Coors will be the test, but if anyone on this staff can miss enough bats to neutralize the thin air, it's him.
Quintana, meanwhile, is the quietest good story in Colorado. After a 6.23 ERA out of the gate, he's posted a 1.59 ERA with an 8:2 K:BB across his last two starts, including six innings of one-run ball against Atlanta. He doesn't blow anybody away, but he's been the closest thing the Rockies have had to a stopper in a rotation already missing Chase Dollander (arm tightness) and Ryan Feltner.
Health is the other half of this matchup, and neither dugout is whole. Texas is monitoring Corey Seager, who is heading back to Arlington to see the team's back specialist, and Wyatt Langford remains shelved with a forearm issue. Colorado is still without Kris Bryant and just lost Dollander mid-start last week. The lineups that take the field Monday will be doing a lot of stitching.
- Day-To-DayCorey Seager (SS) — Seager (back) is heading back to Arlington to see the Rangers' back specialist, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.05/17
- Day-To-DaySebastian Walcott (SS) — Rangers GM Ross Fenstermaker said Tuesday that Walcott could be ready for game action in August, "if all things according to plan" in his rehab from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his right elbow, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.04/07
- 10-Day-ILJosh Smith (2B) — Smith (lower body/wrist) was diagnosed with viral meningitis Friday and is receiving treatment in a hospital, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.05/15
- 10-Day-ILCody Freeman (3B) — Freeman (back) will begin a rehab assignment with the Rangers' Arizona Complex League affiliate Thursday.05/14
- 10-Day-ILWyatt Langford (LF) — Langford (forearm) rejoined the Rangers in Detroit on Saturday and will rest for a full week before being reevaluated by the team, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILLuis Curvelo (RP) — Curvelo (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.05/15
- 15-Day-ILChris Martin (RP) — Martin (biceps) is expected to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday or Wednesday, Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News reports.05/12
- 15-Day-ILCarter Baumler (RP) — Baumler (intercostal) has been shut down from his rehab assignment, MLB.com reports.05/10
- 15-Day-ILRobert Garcia (RP) — Garcia (shoulder) began throwing from 80 feet out Friday, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.05/08
- OutDeclan Cronin (RP) — Cronin (elbow) signed a two-year, minor-league contract with the Rangers on Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.05/08
- OutNabil Crismatt (SP) — Crismatt will undergo surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCody Bradford (SP) — Bradford (elbow) began throwing from 60 feet during the Rangers' most recent homestand, MLB.com reports05/10
- 60-Day-ILJordan Montgomery (SP) — Montgomery (elbow) will throw his fifth bullpen session Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayBrayan Castillo (RP) — The Rockies announced Monday that Castillo is dealing with right lat tightness and has been shut down from throwing while undergoing treatment for the injury, TheDNVR.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayCase Williams (SP) — Williams is currently slowed by a stress reaction in his right triceps, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayJared Thomas (CF) — The Rockies announced Monday that Thomas hasn't been participating in spring training while he recovers from offseason surgery to address a fractured hamate bone in his right wrist, TheDNVR.com reports.05/08
- paternityTyler Freeman (RF) — Freeman went 2-for-6 with a solo home run and a stolen base in Friday's 9-7 extra-innings win over the Phillies.05/15
- 15-Day-ILChase Dollander (SP) — Dollander was lifted from Thursday's start versus the Pirates in the second inning due to right arm tightness, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.05/15
- 15-Day-ILJimmy Herget (RP) — The Rockies reinstated Herget (personal) from the bereavement list Tuesday.05/14
- 15-Day-ILRyan Feltner (SP) — Feltner (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Hartford on Tuesday, MLB.com reports.05/14
- 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-ILMcCade Brown (SP) — The Rockies transferred Brown (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Saturday.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
- 60-Day-ILJeff Criswell (RP) — Criswell (elbow) made the second appearance of his rehab assignment with High-A Spokane on Sunday, striking out two over a perfect inning.05/08
Total sits at 10, which is the polite version of "this is Coors and we have no idea." The under is juiced to -112, a small nod from the market that both starters have been better than their season lines. With Gore's strikeout profile and Quintana actually pitching like a veteran lefty again, there's a real path to a tidy game here — but Coors usually has other plans.