The Colorado Rockies should be happy to see the Arizona Diamondbacks right about now.
The Rockies, coming off a 2-4 homestand against a pair of division leaders in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros, start a three-game series in Phoenix on Friday night having won eight consecutive games against Arizona this season.
“We’ve got to get way better,” Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado said in the Denver Post. “Those are two playoff teams we just played, and 2-4 kind of speaks for itself.”
Colorado swept a three-game series at Chase Field from June 18-20, winning the series finale 6-4 in 10 innings after tying the game with a run in the ninth.
One of the winning pitchers in that series — Antonio Senzatela (7-5, 4.83 ERA) — will get the start Friday for the Rockies. He is 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA in two starts against the D-backs this season, working around plenty of traffic on the bases, giving up 16 hits and walking six in 12 2/3 innings
The right-hander is 2-4 with a 4.93 ERA in 10 career appearances (six starts) against Arizona, spanning 42 innings.
He will be opposed by Diamondbacks ace and 2019 All-Star Zack Greinke (9-3, 2.90). The veteran righty is 0-1 with a 4.26 ERA in three starts against the Rockies this season, allowing 21 hits and striking out 12 in 19 innings. He is coming off an outing in which he threw seven scoreless innings in a 4-3 win at the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.
Rockies All-Star shortstop Trevor Story is 2-for-8 since returning Tuesday from a right thumb strain. He has five home runs in 41 career at-bats vs. Greinke.
A big question for manager Torey Lovullo to ponder before the series — both teams were off on July 4 — is the back end of his bullpen. Archie Bradley already has flamed out in his setup role, and closer Greg Holland was part of walk-off losses to the Dodgers in the past two games.
Holland was one strike away from a save on Tuesday night before he walked four consecutive batters to tie the game. T.J. McFarland then came in and issued another walk for a 5-4 loss. On Wednesday, Holland blew his fourth save of the season by giving up a run in the ninth and getting only one out. Los Angeles won 5-4 in 10 innings.
“I’m in a pretty emotional state right now and I probably want to think through it with a clear head,” Lovullo said after Wednesday’s loss about potential changes at the end of games with regard to Holland.
“But I am concerned. I have to pay attention to things like that. But I know he’s grinding. … I am going to probably think through it over the course of the next 24 hours, meet with the staff and have some thoughts about it.”
Another concern for Arizona — which enters two games behind the Rockies in the National League West as both chase a wild-card spot while the Dodgers run away with the division — is the health of outfielder David Peralta. He left Wednesday’s game with right shoulder soreness and was scheduled for an MRI exam on Thursday.
Peralta was on the injured list from May 24 to June 3 because of right shoulder inflammation.