Alright, so the Colorado Rockies roll into Comerica Park this Friday rocking the absolute worst record in all of baseball at 55-90, not to mention the second-worst run differential in the entire sport. Yet, somehow, their rookie pitcher, Mason Adams, has seen his squad nab two wins in his three Major League starts so far. Talk about a head-scratcher, right? The Detroit Tigers, themselves sitting at 67-79, are hosting them for a three-game weekend series, kicking off the second half of their current six-game homestand in a matchup of two teams pretty much guaranteed to be watching the playoffs from their couches.
Valdez Is Rolling, What’s Left To Prove?
On the mound for the Tigers in the series opener, we’ve got the 32-year-old left-hander Framber Valdez, and he’s coming off one of his nastiest outings of the season. Last time he was out there against the Guardians in Cleveland, this dude went seven full innings, absolutely shutting them down with zero runs, just three hits, and a single walk. He punched out three and even plunked a guy, but the final score was a sweet 6-0, getting Valdez his ninth win of the season. His overall numbers are a solid 9-10 with a 4.17 ERA over 28 games and 157.2 innings pitched. With a 17.3% strikeout rate and a 55.4% groundball rate, he’s showing he can still get it done. When you’re this deep into September and the team’s out of it, seeing a guy like Valdez put up a gem is what you play for.
The Rookie Mystery: Adams’ Stats vs. Rockies’ Ws
Meanwhile, for the Rockies, they’re handing the ball to 26-year-old right-hander Mason Adams for only his fourth Major League start. Now, here’s where it gets interesting: Adams has given up at least a run in every single one of his three outings, and he hasn’t even sniffed past five innings in any of them. His stats aren’t exactly screaming “ace” either: he’s 0-0 with a 3.95 ERA over 13.2 innings, with a 28.8% K rate but a 36.1% groundball rate and a 5.73 FIP. So, how on earth have the Rockies managed to win two of his three starts? It’s baffling! For a team with the worst record in baseball, finding wins anywhere is like striking gold, even if the pitcher on the mound is still trying to find his footing.
This Friday night, it’s Game 147 for both these squads. The first pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET at Comerica Park. It’s Valdez (9-10, 4.17 ERA) vs. Adams (0-0, 3.95 ERA). For two teams playing out the string, this opener still offers a chance to see some individual performance fireworks, especially with Valdez coming off a monster start and Adams looking to keep his weird win streak alive. Let’s see if the “good guys” in Detroit can pick up a couple of wins, or if the Rockies can keep defying logic.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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