Phillies Series Preview: at Colorado Rockies
By Matt Veasey
PHILLIES AT ROCKIES PITCHING MATCHUPS
THURSDAY: Adam Morgan (1-6, 6.31 ERA) vs Chad Bettis (6-6, 5.85 ERA): Bettis is a 27-year old righty in his fourth big league season after being selected by the Rockies with their 2nd round pick in the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft out of Texas Tech. After beginning in the bullpen over his first two season, Bettis moved into the Rox rotation a year ago and had success. This year his ERA is up almost a run and a half, and he has been torched for 121 hits over 95.1 innings. He has allowed at least four earned runs in six of his last eight outings, and has been particularly bad over his last eight starts. In that time he has allowed 65 hits over 39.1 innings with an 8.24 ERA and a .369 opponents batting average against. Morgan is making a spot start in place of Aaron Nola, who is being given a mental break until after the All-Star break. Morgan was moved from the rotation to the bullpen after failing as a starter. This is an opportunity for him to show, in a tough environment, that he could still help the Phillies in that role if an opening develops down the road.
FRIDAY: Vincent Velasquez (7-2, 3.34 ERA) vs Jon Gray (5-4, 4.81 ERA): Gray is a 24-year old technical rookie who made nine starts in the 2015 season. The 3rd overall pick of the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft out of the University of Oklahoma became one of the top prospects in baseball over the next couple of seasons, and has proven mentally tough enough to handle Coors up to this point. He has allowed just 72 hits over 82.1 innings this season with an 87/27 K:BB ratio. Perhaps more importantly, he has just one blowup game among his eight starts this year at home. Vinny has been the Phils best starter at times, and looks to continue trying to show that he has front-of-the-rotation mental makeup.
SATURDAY: Jerad Eickhoff (6-9, 3.30 ERA) vs Tyler Anderson (0-3, 3.03 ERA): Anderson is a 26-year old rookie lefty making just his sixth career start after being selected by the Rockies with the 20th overall pick in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft out of the University of Oregon. He has given the Rockies innings, lasting at least 5.2 in each of his previous five outings over which he has allowed just 30 hits in 29.2 innings with a 26/6 K:BB ratio. Just two of his starts have been at Coors, a pair of losses to tough Miami and San Francisco clubs in which he pitched well in each. Eickhoff has been the Phillies most consistent starting pitcher. The pleasant surprise from the Cole Hamels trade last July, he has 10 Quality Starts among his 17 thus far, including five of his last seven outings.
SUNDAY: Zach Eflin (1-2, 4.30 ERA) vs Tyler Chatwood (8-4, 3.08 ERA): Chatwood is a 26-year old righty who was the Angels 2nd round pick in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft out of a California high school. He came to Colorado in a November 2011 trade for catcher Chris Iannetta, and has been a career .500 pitcher. However, in this, his fifth big league season, Chatwood has been outstanding, allowing just 79 hits over 90.2 innings. All but one of his home starts have been strong as well. One problem for Chatwood has been walks, and the Phillies hitters would do well to show plate discipline against him. Eflin as been a revelation. Over his last four starts he has improved incrementally, until he tossed a complete game gem in his last outing against Atlanta. Tossing out his debacle of a debut, Eflin has allowed just 21 hits in 26.2 innings over which he has walked just one batter.
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