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What the Rockies' lineup should be for the NL Wild Card game

October 3, 2017

DENVER – You may or may not have heard, but the Colorado Rockies are going to the 2017 postseason. When the St. Louis Cardinals completed their comeback against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night, the Rockies clinched their first postseason berth in eight years after a season buoyed by a pair of MVP candidates, a young and impressive starting pitching staff, and a veteran bullpen. It has taken more than 25 guys to get the team to where they are as of the publishing of this article, but 25 is all they are allowed for Wednesday’s winner-take-all game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

Here are our picks for who the Rockies should carry for that game. Keep in mind, this is just for one game and can be changed should Colorado make the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

RHP Zack Greinke is pitching for Arizona.

1. Charlie Blackmon (CF)
2. DJ LeMahieu (2B)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (RF)
4. Nolan Arenado (3B)
5. Trevor Story (SS)
6. Mark Reynolds (1B)
7. Ian Desmond (LF)
8. Jonathan Lucroy (C)
9. Jon Gray (P)

Bench: INF Pat Valaika, C/2B Tony Wolters, OF Gerardo Parra, OF Raimel Tapia, INF Ryan Mcmahon, OF Mike Tauchman

Bullpen: RHPs Greg Holland, Pat Neshek, Carlos Estevez, Scott Oberg, Adam Ottavino, Antonio Senzatela, Chad Bettis
LHPs Jake McGee, Chris Rusin, Mike Dunn

Because this is only one game the Rockies should only carry two starters, one they will start in the game and one they would use in the NLDS. We think they’d use Tyler Anderson in game one if they were to make the NLDS followed by Chatwood, Gray and then Bettis. But because this is only one game they may go with Kyle Freeland to use another lefty and one that could go long since Senzatela already can.

Once again since this is only one game, speed could be a premium hence why they should carry Tapia and Tauchman.

With the lineup, both CarGo and Story have hit well off of Greinke so it’d make sense that they bat third and fifth.

These are just our picks, and it could go another way.