Cubs vs Rockies Preview: The Throwing Philosopher Faces Coors Field

The Cubs came into this series struggling hard. They've lost two straight and are just 3-7 over their last ten games. That's not the baseball you want to see from a team sitting at 34-33. Yesterday was rough too—the Rockies pounded them 7-3 at Coors Field. Now Chicago sends Shota Imanaga to the mound, and they desperately need him to be sharp. Imanaga is one of the Cubs' most reliable arms. He's still standing after most of their rotation has hit the injured list. This game is huge for stopping the skid and getting back on track.

Don't sleep on Colorado here. The Rockies just snapped a rough stretch with a win and they're playing at Coors Field—the toughest place in baseball for visiting pitchers. The altitude is real. The ball flies out of here. Pitchers sweat more. Imanaga has a 7.2 ERA so far this season, which isn't great heading into a slugfest at mile-high elevation. Michael Lorenzen gets the ball for Colorado and posted a 6.59 ERA. Both pitchers look shaky on paper, but Coors Field can make anyone look vulnerable. The Rockies are 25-42 overall but they're dangerous at home. That thin air changes everything in this game.

Here's the real story: the Cubs' rotation is banged up. Jameson Taillon is out with a hamstring strain until mid-July. Matthew Boyd just got back from injury. Cade Horton is done for the year after Tommy John surgery. That leaves Imanaga as the last arm still healthy from Opening Day. He's got to be lights out tonight. The Rockies scored seven runs yesterday and this park makes every pitcher work twice as hard. Chicago's pitching staff is supposed to be reliable and steady. But reliable doesn't mean unbeatable at Coors. This is where pitching gets tested under the worst conditions possible in baseball.