Freeland, Profar, Cron to play key roles as the Colorado Rockies open their home schedule
Apr. 5—After a 193-day wait, baseball is back at Coors Field.
The Colorado Rockies are back in Denver, following a 2-4 start on the road. They begin their first home series of the season Thursday afternoon against the Washington Nationals.
Here are three storylines heading into the home opener:
Denver's own gets the ball
There might not be a more fitting player to get the start in the home opener than Kyle Freeland. The Denver native and Thomas Jefferson High School alum got the start on Opening Day last year against the Dodgers and now will once again be the first Rockies' pitcher on the mound at Coors Field to begin the home schedule.
Freeland is coming off an outstanding first start of the year in San Diego. He tossed six shutout innings in a win over the San Diego Padres on Friday, allowing just three hits and a walk. He also made what may end up being one of the top defensive plays by any Rockies player all season long.
Freeland has a career record of 28-24 and an ERA of 4.77 at Coors Field. He'll be matched up against Washington starter Josiah Gray, a former top Dodgers prospect that was dealt to the Nationals in a deal for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner during the 2021 season.
Cron's early season honors
C.J. Cron, multi-time All-Star?
That may be a little premature just six games into the season, but the Rockies first baseman has to be the odds-on favorite to be the team's representative at the 2023 MLB All-Star Game this summer in Seattle.
After mashing two home runs and tying Vinny Castilla's Colorado record of five RBI on Opening Day, Cron was rewarded with National League Player of the Week honors on Monday.
Congratulations, @CCron24! pic.twitter.com/vAYs8v2NHU
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 3, 2023
Cron is hitting .304 after the road trip to the open the season and is tied for second among all big leaguers with three homers. He was selected to his first All-Star game last season and has been a big boost since signing as a free agent in January 2021.
Profar at the top
After visa issues delayed his return to the United States, Jurickson Profar is finally with the Rockies and Bud Black has his leadoff hitter.
Profar wasn't in the lineup for the first three games of the season, but he's been right at the top of the batting order and in left field in the last three. Colorado will be counting on the 30-year-old to set the tone offensively.
Profar is just 1-for-11 to start 2023. But he is coming off a solid season as an everyday starter for a Padres team that reached the NLCS in 2022.
In 14 career games as a visitor at Coors Field, Profar has hit .250 with one home run and eight runs scored. Now, he'll likely be the first Rockies player to step in the box at home in 2023.
