Merrill Kelly will get the start for the Diamondbacks (70-67, 36-34 home) as they host the Rockies (50-86, 21-48 away) at Chase Field. The Rockies will give the starting nod to Peter Lambert. Check out my prediction for game one of this NL West matchup between the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.

COLORADO ROCKIES VS ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Colorado Rockies +207

This game will be played at Chase Field at 4:10 ET on Monday, September 4th.

WHY BET THE COLORADO ROCKIES:

  • Coming into the game, the Diamondbacks have gone just 2-3 in their last five home games.
  • The Diamondbacks have been struggling of late, having lost each of their last two straight games.
  • Merrill Kelly has struggled of late, coming in with an ERA of 5.17 over his last four starts.

COLORADO ROCKIES SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

The Rockies’ record of 50-86 has them ranked 5th in the NL West. So far, they have a below .500 series record of 14-25-3. This season, they have gone 29-38 at home and 21-48 on the road.

Starter Peter Lambert has had a rocky start to the 2023 season, with an overall record of 3-5 in 23 appearances. His ERA stands at 4.95, while his K/9 is 7.55 and his FIP is 5.32. Opponents have a .322 OBP against him this year.

The Rockies were unable to come away with a victory in Lambert’s last outing, as they fell 3-1 to the Braves. The right-hander pitched five frames, surrendering three earned runs on nine hits.

For the season, the Rockies’ offense is averaging 4.4 runs per game. Over their last five games they have swung the bats well, sitting 5th in the league in scoring, with a total of 26 runs. Overall, Colorado’s team batting average is .249, putting them 10th in the MLB.

Nolan Jones has been a key contributor to the Rockies’ offense this season, having hit 14 home runs. Most recently, he has gone deep in one of the team’s last five games. Additionally, his batting average stands at .282.

WILL THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

For the season, the Diamondbacks have put together a record of 70-67 and are 2nd in the NL West, putting them 14.5 games out of first place. Arizona’s overall series record sits at 23-17-4. On the road, they have gone 34-33 and 36-34 at home.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will turn to starter Merrill Kelly, who has an overall record of 10-6. In 24 appearances, his ERA is 3.31 with a K/9 of 9.36 and a FIP of 3.93, as well as an OBP of .290.

Merrill Kelly had a tough outing in his last start, surrendering seven runs on 12 hits over five innings in a loss to the Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 7 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 4th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 15th in home runs and 11th in slugging percentage. Overall, Arizona is averaging 4.7 runs per game (13th).

The Diamondbacks have been bolstered by the offensive performance of Corbin Carroll in 2023. He has a .282 batting average, driving in 66 runs and hitting 24 home runs so far this season.