The Colorado Rockies wrapped up a home series against the best team in the American League and now face one of the better clubs in the National League.

Colorado lost three games to the Detroit Tigers, including dropping both ends of Thursday’s doubleheader by a combined score of 21-3. The Rockies, who have lost six straight, need to regroup in a hurry when they host the San Diego Padres on Friday in Denver.

Colorado will send Antonio Senzatela (1-5, 5.50 ERA) to the mound against San Diego’s Randy Vasquez (1-3, 3.90) on Friday night in a battle of right-handers.

The Rockies are on a historic pace, a journey they want to stop. Colorado is 6-31 to begin 2025 and has fewer wins at this point than the Chicago White Sox last season. The White Sox went on to set the major league record for losses in the modern era with 121.

Thursday’s first game was a mix of starter Kyle Freeland’s ineffectiveness and the Rockies’ poor defense. They had three errors that led to four unearned runs.

“Some of the young guys have got to realize the importance of defense,” manager Bud Black said.

The struggles have amplified the difference between Colorado and teams like Detroit and San Diego.

“What they’re doing is right and what we’re doing is wrong,” Freeland said. “We’re not winning baseball games. We’re playing a bad brand of baseball — all around. Pitching, hitting, fielding.”

The Rockies hope Senzatela can get the weekend off on a good note. The righty is slated to make his eighth start of the season, which is already more than the five he had in the last two seasons combined.

Friday will be his 20th appearance and 14th start against the Padres. He is 8-4 with a 3.26 ERA in his previous 19 games.

San Diego comes to Denver after dropping its last two contests of a three-game series at the New York Yankees. Padres starter Dylan Cease carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning Wednesday night before New York rallied to win in 10 innings.

Vasquez will attempt to end San Diego’s short losing streak in his fourth career start against Colorado. He is 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in his previous outings against the Rockies and lasted just 2 2/3 innings in his one start in Denver.

Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill returned to the lineup on Tuesday night after missing a month with a right hamstring injury. He showed no rust in the two games he has played, going 4-for-8 with a double, home run and two RBIs.

He was hitting .378 when he went on the injured list and improved that number to .381.

“He stayed mentally into the competition away from the competition,” manager Mike Shildt said. “He locked in, did his scouting reports almost every day to keep your mind ready. He took his physical rehab seriously and was able to come back and perform like he has.”

–Field Level Media