Dodgers @ Rockies April 22, 2016: Kazmir in Coors

	Dodgers			Rockies
	5:40 p.m. PT			Denver, Colorado
2B	Utley		2B	LeMahieu
SS	Seager		SS	Story
3B	Turner		RF	Gonzalez
1B	Gonzalez		3B	Arenado
RF	Puig		1B	Reynolds
C	Grandal		CF	Parra
LF	Kendrick		LF	Raburn
CF	Pederson		C	Wolters
P	Kazmir (L)		P	Gray (R)

After six brilliant shutout innings in his season debut, Scott Kazmir‘s following two starts were a good deal rougher. Both games saw Kazmir pitch just four innings against the Giants. In his start at AT&T Park, he gave up three home runs.

Having been in the American League for his entire career up until this year, Kazmir doesn’t have much experience pitching in Colorado. His one other start at Coors came in 2007, when he pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits (two home runs), striking out five and walking four.

One start from nine years ago doesn’t really tell us much about what to expect from Kazmir tonight. Rather, what we should look at is Kazmir’s numbers over the past few seasons. From 2013 through 2015, Kazmir has been very close to league average in ground ball, fly ball and line drive percentage. His HR/9 of 0.93 is also right around league average for those years. In other words, Kazmir is a thoroughly average pitcher, and the average pitcher struggles at Coors. But, of course, anything can happen at 5,200 feet.

The Dodgers will be facing 24-year-old right hander Jon Gray, making his first start of 2016 following a DL stint to open the season. Gray was the Rockies’ top prospect prior to his debut last year. In 9 starts, he posted an ERA of 5.53 (far underperforming his FIP of 3.63). Like most Rockies pitchers, Gray’s numbers were considerably worse at home than they are on the road, although his one start at Dodger Stadium lasted merely 4 2/3 innings (2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 8 K).

The Dodgers’ nine home runs rank 26th in MLB, so it will be interesting to see whether or not going to Colorado helps boost those numbers a bit. It’s worth noting that, despite the low team-wide power numbers, they’ve definitely been hitting, as they’re third in MLB in hits with 144. Certain Dodgers who have been hitting the ball hard — including Yasmani Grandal, Corey Seager and Yasiel Puig — will be worth keeping an eye on during this series. It’ll also be the Dodgers’ first look at wonder rookie Trevor Story, who, in case you haven’t heard, has hit eight home runs in 15 games.

[table id=5/]