Kyle Freeland, Rockies seek improvement against Astros

Kyle Freeland was getting into a good rhythm for the Colorado Rockies before he landed on the injured list in mid-June.

The left-hander posted three consecutive quality starts and dropped his ERA by more than half a run, but his first start after coming off the IL broke that string of good outings.

Freeland will try to get back on track when he wraps up Colorado's three-game series against the Houston Astros on Thursday. Houston will send lefty Brandon Walter to the mound.

The Astros held off another ninth-inning rally by the Rockies to win 5-3 on Wednesday. Houston has captured the first two games of the series, adding to Colorado's home woes. The Rockies have lost all 14 home series this season. They have won just two series, lost 26 and split none in 2025.

Freeland (1-9, 5.56 ERA) allowed a total of six earned runs in his three quality starts before low back stiffness sidelined him. He returned Friday in Milwaukee and was tagged for six runs on eight hits in four innings. All of the runs came in his final frame, spoiling a solid beginning to his outing.

"I felt good. I felt healthy out there," Freeland said postgame. "I felt like I was filling up the zone, doing a good job. Unfortunately, that fourth inning just unraveled on me with some seeing-eye ground balls and some base hits, and then that big home run there at the end by (Brewers center fielder Jackson) Chourio."

Despite his record, Freeland has been the subject of trade rumors ahead of the deadline at the end of the month. He has shown in the past he can be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, notably in 2018, when he went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA and finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting.

In his career against the Astros, Freeland is 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA in two starts.

Walter (1-1, 3.34 ERA) has never faced Colorado in his short career, which consists of five starts since his debut on May 20. He earned his first win in his latest outing when he held the Chicago Cubs to one run over six innings on Friday night.

The Astros had another injury scare on Wednesday when Jake Meyers took a Jake Bird fastball to the ribs in the sixth inning. Meyers, however, remained in the game. It was a similar scenario to how Jeremy Pena was hurt on Friday, and the shortstop landed on the injured list with a fractured rib.

Despite the absence of Pena and Yordan Alvarez (fractured right hand), Houston keeps winning.

"I love how our team is responding to anything that's happening," Astros manager Joe Espada said. "This is how we roll. This is how we do it. There's no way around it. Teams are not going to feel sorry for us. I expect the players to get ready to play.

"We have some really good players, guys who are waiting to get an opportunity to play, and we'll find ways to win. Coming here and singing a sad song, that ain't going to help."

--Field Level Media