With one of the worst records in the National League, the Rockies have already had a tough year. On Thursday night, it might reach a historically low point.
Why might you ask? On the off chance you were unaware, the Mets’ Jacob deGrom is one of the best pitchers in baseball. While his time in 2022 has been limited due to a stress fracture suffered back in spring training, the two-time Cy Young Award winner remains one of baseball’s top aces. And in four starts since returning from injury, deGrom already has 37 strikeouts and a 2.31 ERA. He’s got his groove back.
Enter the Rockies, who will have to face deGrom on the road at Citi Field as the biggest consensus underdog (-450) of the entire 2022 MLB season thus far. Oh, and Colorado really struggles against right-handers on the road.
Uh-oh:
For additional context, according to Action Network, only four starting pitchers since 2005 have finished a game as a -450 favorite for their team. With his Thursday night start against the Rockies coming up, deGrom will now get to do this for the second time in his career.
In other words, the Rockies’ chances of toppling deGrom and the Mets seem impossibly high. Sure, they might still pull the upset and uncharacteristically shell deGrom. Crazier things have happened.
But I wouldn’t bet on a locked-in superstar on the mound — for one of baseball’s top squads — faltering against a hapless lineup. This matchup at Citi Field has certain “doom” written all over it for Colorado.
.