MLB Game Preview - LA Dodgers at Colorado

Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:40 PM EDT

When the Los Angeles Dodgers last played in Denver, they had a secure lead in the NL West, so splitting the four-game series against Colorado to end June wasn't a big deal.

The way the Dodgers are playing now, they can take the week off and still lead the division by double digits. Los Angeles, barring a total collapse, is using the last two months of the regular season for positioning in the playoffs.

The Dodgers open a three-game series in Colorado on Monday night.

To say the Rockies are reeling would be putting things gently. Colorado was in second place in the division when the Dodgers were last in town but now sits in last place. The Rockies have gone from potential buyers at the trade deadline to possibly trading a veteran or two, or standing pat.

That's what a 9-22 downturn does to a team. Colorado was in a wild-card spot after sweeping a series in Arizona on June 20 but now sits 7 1/2 games out of the last playoff spot in the National League, with the dog days of August approaching.

One of the few bright spots over the last month has been the steady performance by right-hander Jon Gray. After struggling through a forgettable 2018 season, Gray has looked more like the ace of the staff he was a couple of years ago.

Gray (9-7, 4.05 ERA) has allowed three or fewer runs in six of his last seven starts and was working on a strong outing against Washington on Wednesday -- one run allowed on two hits in four innings -- before leaving after getting hit in the right calf with a line drive.

Gray was limping later that day, but X-rays showed no damage, and he won't miss a start.

"It affected his control and command, as we witnessed in that inning," Rockies manager Bud Black said after the game. "By the time he got out of it, it was sore, painful. And Jon is tough. He tried to hang in there, but he said, 'Buddy, I don't think it was the right thing to do.' So we took him out of the game."

One of Gray's strong starts came against the Dodgers on June 29 when he allowed three runs (two earned) in 6 2/3 innings to earn the win. Overall in 13 career starts against L.A., he is 4-5 with a 4.75 ERA.

Gray will face Dodgers righty Kenta Maeda (7-7, 3.81), who is coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

Maeda has fared well against Colorado this season, including three starts this season in which he is 1-0 with a 2.76 ERA. Overall against the Rockies, he's 6-3 with a 2.41 ERA in 18 games (13 starts), with seven of those starts coming in Denver. In 10 career games at Coors Field, he is 5-1 with a 3.12 ERA.

Los Angeles will try to become the first team this season to win 70 games on Monday night. The Dodgers are coming off a loss at Washington on Sunday and are 5-4 in their last nine games.

But the emergence of rookie catcher Will Smith, who had six RBIs on Saturday, gives them another weapon in an already powerful lineup.

"We have a long lineup as it is, but when you get a guy (at catcher) who can turn the lineup over or who can drive runs in, it's just really tough to navigate," manager Dave Roberts said after Saturday's game.

--Field Level Media