The Colorado kid takes the mound on Helton HOF Day
Tonight’s the night! On the final stop of the 2024 #HeltonHOF tour, the Colorado Rockies will take on the San Diego Padres. The Rockies are celebrating #17 on the 10th anniversary of his number retirement by adding a gold ring signifying his Hall of Fame induction. If you are one of the lucky fans able to attend in-person, you will be able to visit Helton’s Hall of Fame plaque from Cooperstown and if you are one of the first 30,000 lucky fans, you’ll come home with a cool bobblehead signifying one of the most iconic moments in Rockies history.
Fittingly, Kyle “The Colorado Kid” Freeland (3-4, 5.75 ERA) will take the mound for the Fighting Rockies. Freeland has been fighting a blister on his left index finger over his last two starts, which has limited him to a total of 8 1⁄3 innings in the last two games. Against the Atlanta Braves on August 11, he left after 3 2⁄3 and 65 pitches, allowing three runs (two homers) on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. In his prior start against the New York Mets on August 6, he exited after 4 2⁄3 innings and 72 pitches. He allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. That said, six of his nine starts after coming off the Injured List on June 23 have been quality starts and the Rockies are 7-2. Freeland himself is 3-1 with a 3.48 ERA through this span, which ranks him 13th among qualified NL pitchers.
Freeland will face Padres right-hander and reigning NL Pitcher of the Month Dylan Cease (11-9, 3.41 ERA). Cease is having a career year, holding onto a Major League-record six outings of 6+ innings pitched with one or fewer hits allowed. No other pitcher since 1901 has had more than four in a single season. One of those outings was a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on July 25. In his last outing against the Miami Marlins, Cease threw five innings and allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Cease owns a 1-2 record and 4.43 ERA against the Rockies in four previous starts.
Can the Rockies win on Todd Helton Day?
️ Hear ye, hear ye
Today, August 17th, is officially Todd Helton Day in Denver and the state of Colorado! pic.twitter.com/yzHyCTwaYv
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 17, 2024
First Pitch: 6:10 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.tv
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
Lineups:
Cease & Co. in CO ️ pic.twitter.com/58Tq21FSJW
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 17, 2024
It’s the 17th.
Here’s our lineup ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/b1WBgtbx7z
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 17, 2024