Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Friday\u2019s MLB game between the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n
A dramatic one-run game on Thursday ended in a 2-1 victory for the Diamondbacks (26-23). Now, Arizona will attempt to take the first two in this four-game series. As for the Rockies (19-32), it\u2019s shaping up to be another season outside of contention in the NL West. However, Colorado has looked far more competitive compared to 2025\u2019s historically bad squad. Will the visitors put up a fight in Phoenix this evening?<\/p>\n
The Diamondbacks are favorites (-218)<\/a> over the Rockies, with the over\/under set at nine runs<\/a>. Below, I\u2019ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Friday\u2019s showdown between Colorado and Arizona on DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rockies vs. Diamondbacks prediction, preview<\/p>\n In this divisional matchup, it\u2019ll be Tomoyuki Sugano on the bump for the visitors. The Japanese hurler is now in his second season stateside, following a 2025 campaign in Baltimore. On a Rockies squad devoid of pitching talent, the right-hander might already be a staff ace. Through 47.0 innings of work, he\u2019s notched a 4.02 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 25 strikeouts (4.8 K\/9). Still, a look at the advanced metrics shows that the 36-year-old is due for negative regression. He ranks inside the bottom fourth percentile of all pitchers in xERA (7.40), whiff % (17.0), K % (12.8) and barrel % (15.5).<\/p>\n In fairness to Sugano, he\u2019s thrown most of his innings at hitter-friendly Coors Field. Still, it\u2019s not as if a trip to Arizona will be that much better. The Diamondbacks are averaging 4.55 runs per game, tenth-most in baseball. They\u2019re led by none other than Corbin Carroll, one of the NL\u2019s best hitters. Over 46 games this season, he\u2019s slashing .282\/.390\/.552 with seven homers, 26 RBIs and six steals. He\u2019s joined by co-stars Ildemaro Vargas (141 wRC+), Nolan Arenado (129 wRC+) and Ketel Marte (98 wRC+). As a unit, the Snakes are tied for the eighth-best batting average (.244) and second-most doubles (81).<\/p>\n If Colorado is going to pull out a win tonight, it\u2019ll likely take a stellar performance at the plate. However, the Rockies are a far worse offensive unit away from home. They\u2019re averaging 3.88 runs per game on the road this season, sixth-fewest in the majors. Just four hitters on the roster have notched a wRC+ equal to or greater than 100. To boot, the Rox have posted a National League-worst K% of 24.8%<\/p>\n That should be music to the ears of Michael Soroka, tonight\u2019s starter. Since joining Arizona, the 28-year-old has accounted for a 3.49 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 55 strikeouts (10.1 K\/9) over 49.0 innings. It\u2019s early, but the veteran is putting together one of the best seasons of his professional career. Soroka has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of his nine outings so far. That includes a 5.2-inning, two-run performance last weekend vs. Colorado.<\/p>\n Rockies vs. Diamondbacks pick, best bet<\/p>\n A strikeout-heavy approach should do Soroka well this evening against the free-swinging Rockies. On the other side, Sugano has been flirting with disaster all season. This capable D-Backs lineup should take advantage of his tendency to give up fly balls. Arizona has all the ingredients to earn a second straight win tonight.<\/p>\n