Looking Ahead

GAME 1

Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (1- 0, 2.16 ERA) at Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (0-1, 3.72 ERA), 11:10 a.m. Saturday, Comerica Park TV: ATTRM Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM Senzatela, like all of the Rockies’ starters, save for Chad

Kuhl, has been inconsistent in the early going. In his first start against the Dodgers, he allowed nine hits and four runs (one earned) over 3L innings. In his second start, he limited the Cubs to one run over five innings. The right-hander’s control has been excellent, as he’s walked just one batter over 8L innings. He’s faced the Tigers just once in his career, taking the loss after giving up four runs on six hits in 3L innings.

In his last start, Skubal struck out six of the first eight Kansas City batters he faced and retired the first 11 before Salvador Perez hit a grounder through the left side with two out in the fourth. Skubal finished with seven strikeouts over 5M innings, and the only run he gave up was unearned. The 25-year- old has one walk and 10 strikeouts in his first two starts.

GAME 2

Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (0-1, 7.00 ERA) at Tigers RHP Beau Brieske (MLB debut), 4:40 p.m. Saturday, Comerica Park TV: ATTRM Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Gomber is coming off a rocky start. The Cubs scored five runs (four earned) on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts over 4L innings. He made two starts against the Tigers as a member of the Cardinals, once in 2018 at Comerica Park and once in 2020 at Busch Stadium, allowing three runs across nine innings (3.00 ERA) in two Cardinals losses. Gomber has been very good at Coors Field, going 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 starts, but has struggled on the road, going 4- 8 with a 6.19 ERA in 15 starts.

Brieske, 24, will be making his major league debut. Brieske signed for just $75,000 as a 27th-round pick out of Division II Colorado State-pueblo in 2019. He was promoted to Triple-a at the beginning of this season and has made two starts. Overall, he’s allowed five runs on nine hits and three walks across 10 Triple-a innings, while striking out nine batters. He pitched 106 M innings for High-a West Michigan and Double-a Erie last year. He posted a 3.12 ERA and a 1.013 WHIP while striking out 116 batters and walking just 23.

Trending: C.J. Cron’s 39 total bases through 11 games are the most by a Rockies player through the first 11 games since Trevor Story’s 41 total bases in 2016.

At issue: Second baseman Brendan Rodgers is striking out at a 34% clip, the seventh-highest strikeout rate in the National League. That’s nearly 14% higher than his 2021 rate (20.2%).