Rockies at Padres
The San Diego Padres make another attempt at recording their first victory of the year when they host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday for the second contest of their four-game set. San Diego fell to 0-4 on the season as they dropped a 7-4 decision in the series opener after being swept of a three-game set by Milwaukee.
Eric Hosmer, who signed an eight-year, $144 million contract in February, has been doing his part in the early going as he has registered three consecutive two-hit performances. The 28-year-old has recorded four doubles and driven in a pair of runs during the streak, while Wil Myers is 3-for-7 with a home run over his last two games but left Monday's contest after five innings with a triceps injury. Charlie Blackmon belted one of Colorado's three homers in the series-opening victory, giving him four blasts and six RBIs in his last three contests. Ian Desmond has gotten off to a strong start at the plate for Colorado, hitting safely in each of his first four games while recording two homers and five RBIs.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (2017: 11-11, 4.10 ERA) vs. Padres RH Tyson Ross (2017: 3-3, 7.71)
Freeland will make his season debut following a rookie year during which he recorded 107 strikeouts in 156 innings. The 24-year-old native of Denver appeared in four games (two starts) against San Diego in 2017, going 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA. One of the starts was at Petco Park, where he allowed just one run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings of a no-decision on May 4.
San Diego will purchase the contract of Ross, who pitched for Texas last year after spending the previous four seasons with the Padres. The 30-year-old Californian, who was signed to a minor-league contract in December, went 3-3 with a 7.71 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) with the Rangers after being limited to one start with San Diego in 2016 due to a shoulder injury. Ross has yet to defeat Colorado in his career, going 0-5 with a 3.44 ERA in nine starts and two relief appearances.
WALK-OFFS
1. Desmond has homered five times in 11 games at Petco Park since joining the Rockies prior to last season.
2. San Diego C Austin Hedges is day-to-day with upper-back tightness.
3. Blackmon registered a three-hit performance Monday and is 6-for-14 over his last three games.