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Posted at 9:35 AM EST.

8:40 PM EST. We’re committed to our “Coors Field” angle but nothing is in stone and we have the right to make an exception at any time. This will be that one time this year (so far) that we’ll exercise that right.

Kyle Freeland (LHP) comes into this start on quite a roll, throwing a pure quality start in five of his last six starts. One of those starts was a strong one in San Francisco on May 18. He takes them on again here at home where in 19 career starts he is 8-9 with a 3.30 ERA over 106 innings. Freeland is not the reason we’re changing gears.

Jeff Samardzija (LHP) didn’t make his 2018 debut until April 20 due to a strained right pectoral muscle and pretty much nothing has gone right for him since, as he has tallied a horrid 6.23 ERA in 35 innings. Samardzija’s skills have crashed across the board. His strikeout rate has fallen well below-average and his swing and miss rate of 6% offers no hope of a rebound. Walks have suddenly become a severe problem, as he’s walked 23 in 35 frames and his 37.8% Zone% (% of pitches inside the strike zone) is rather alarming, as it’s a long way from both his own average and the MLB average. Samardzija’s velocity has dropped to a career low and his fly-ball rate has soared. Jacks have become a large issue and hr/f luck isn’t to blame either. Folks, we’ve been doing this for a long time and in that time, we have never seen a starter with an xERA (8.50) as high as Jeff Samardzija’s. Something is clearly off with him and we cannot rule out the possibility that he’s pitching through an injury of some sort and we’re not going to miss this opportunity to fade him at this extreme park when that awful xERA and ERA have taken place mostly at pitcher’s parks. The Coors Field angle is still in play only we’re switching gears and playing the chalk here. You should too.

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