KPSL Wild Card Preview: Rockies vs Diamondbacks

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Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies

The second KPSL Wild Card matchup brings together two clubs that arrived in October from very different positions.

The Colorado Rockies finished 50-38, tied with Pittsburgh for the second-best win total in the league and spent much of the season comfortably inside the playoff field.

The Arizona Diamondbacks finished 45-43, fighting their way through a crowded postseason race and earning their first trip back to the KPSL playoffs since their back-to-back championship appearances in 2020 and 2021.

But there's one statistic that should immediately get Colorado's attention.

Season Series: Arizona won, 5-3.

The Rockies had the better overall record.

The Diamondbacks had the advantage when these two teams actually played.

Now they'll settle it in the Wild Card Round.

HOW THEY GOT HERE

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — 45-43

Arizona's season was built around survival, adjustment and ultimately getting hot enough at the right moments to stay above the playoff line.

The Diamondbacks weren't one of the preseason clubs expected to be here. But instead of standing still when weaknesses became apparent, Arizona reshaped its roster during the season.

The biggest move brought Francisco Lindor, Alec Bohm and Fernando Cruz to Arizona while Trevor Story, Ranger Suárez and Nolan Gorman departed.

Arizona also acquired Ryan Pepiot, adding another major arm to what ultimately became the strength of the club.

The results were significant.

Arizona finished with a 3.79 team ERA, allowing only 355 runs—just one more than Los Angeles and among the better totals in the KPSL.

And at the top of the staff sits the league's ERA champion.

Zac Gallen finished with a 1.88 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, giving Arizona one of the most dominant starters in the league.

Pepiot gives the Diamondbacks another weapon. His full-season numbers between Washington and Arizona included a 3.20 ERA and 0.90 WHIP, the second-best qualifying WHIP in the KPSL.

Then there is David Bednar, who recorded 18 saves.

The offense isn't built around overwhelming home-run power.

Arizona hit only 67 home runs, the fewest of any KPSL team, but hit .257, scored 383 runs and collected 797 hits.

And the addition of Lindor changed the middle of the lineup.

Lindor finished his combined season hitting .304 with a .395 OBP and .549 slugging percentage, collecting 93 hits, 25 doubles and 53 RBI.

Luis Arraez added 87 hits, giving Arizona another high-contact offensive weapon.

The Diamondbacks don't enter October as a team that needs to overpower opponents.

They need to put runners on base, move them around and let their pitching staff protect leads.

COLORADO ROCKIES — 50-38

Colorado's road was different.

The Rockies were one of the KPSL's most consistent offensive clubs and finished with 50 victories, five more than Arizona.

Their lineup was among the most difficult in the league to navigate.

Colorado finished third in batting average at .261, scored 397 runs and produced a .751 team OPS.

But the most interesting part of Colorado's offense may be how it generated those numbers.

The Rockies hit 165 doubles and 34 triples, leading the KPSL in triples and finishing near the top in extra-base hits.

This lineup can turn singles into rallies and gaps into immediate scoring opportunities.

At the center of everything is Fernando Tatis Jr.

Tatis finished with 95 hits, 51 runs, 20 doubles and 23 stolen bases while hitting .289.

Then there is Jung Hoo Lee, one of the KPSL's biggest breakout performers.

Lee hit .299 with 30 doubles and 10 triples, leading the entire league in doubles and finishing second in triples.

Matt Olson provides the middle-of-the-order power, finishing with 14 home runs and 50 RBI.

And Colorado's playoff roster still includes Will Smith, Lourdes Gurriel, Spencer Horwitz,

Daylen Lile and several other matchup options.

The Rockies also finished the season well.

They went 5-3 over their final eight games, splitting four games with Arizona before taking three of four from Los Angeles.

They enter October as a 50-win club.

But they'll be facing a team that has already demonstrated it can beat them.

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

Category	Diamondbacks	Rockies
Record	45-43	50-38
Runs	383	397
Runs/Game	4.35	4.51
Batting Average	.257	.261
On-Base Percentage	.320	.327
Slugging Percentage	.385	.424
Home Runs	67	88
Doubles	169	165
Triples	14	34
Stolen Bases	52	64
Strikeouts	617	665
Team ERA	3.79	4.02
Runs Allowed	355	375
WHIP	1.28	1.30
Pitching Strikeouts	783	761
Regular-Season H2H	5 wins	3 wins

Colorado holds most of the offensive advantages.

Arizona holds most of the pitching advantages.

But there's another important distinction.

Colorado's regular-season advantage was five games. Arizona's head-to-head advantage was two games.

That makes this matchup much closer than the standings alone suggest.

DIAMONDBACKS PITCHING vs. ROCKIES OFFENSE

This is probably the central battle of the series.

Arizona built its playoff roster around a five-man rotation of:

Zac GallenRyan PepiotAndrew AbbottMichael KingJesus Luzardo

That gives the Diamondbacks considerable starting-pitching depth.

But in a short series, Gallen could be the difference-maker.

His 1.88 ERA was the best qualifying ERA in the KPSL. Behind him, Pepiot's 0.90 WHIP ranked second among qualifying pitchers.

Arizona doesn't necessarily need all five starters.

It needs its best starters to control Colorado's biggest offensive weapons.

That begins with Tatis, Lee and Olson.

Lee presents an unusual challenge because he doesn't need to hit the ball out of the park. His 30 doubles and 10 triples mean anything driven into a gap can become an immediate scoring opportunity.

Tatis adds another dimension with his power and speed.

And Olson provides the threat of the home run.

Arizona's pitchers therefore need to keep Colorado from stacking extra-base hits.

A walk followed by a Lee double or Tatis triple can produce runs without Colorado ever needing a homer.

ROCKIES PITCHING vs. DIAMONDBACKS OFFENSE

This is where Colorado's postseason roster becomes especially interesting.

The Rockies have chosen four obvious starting options:

Blake SnellNick PivettaTyler GlasnowClayton Kershaw

Most notably, Robbie Ray is not on the playoff roster despite winning eight games and recording 116 strikeouts during the regular season.

Jack Flaherty is also absent.

Instead, Colorado has built its postseason staff around those four starters and a seven-man relief group.

That bullpen includes:

Ben CaspariusJohn CurtissJimmy HergetJuan MejiaEmilio PaganCaleb ThielbarJose Suarez

Pagan is the headline name.

He finished the regular season with a 0.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 15 saves.

Jose Suarez posted a 0.79 ERA, while Mejia finished at 2.56 and recorded four saves.

If Colorado gets a lead into the late innings, there are legitimate weapons available.

But Arizona presents a different kind of offensive challenge than many teams.

The Diamondbacks don't hit many home runs.

They put the ball in play.

Arizona struck out only 617 times, tied with Pittsburgh for the fewest in the league.

That could become extremely important against Colorado.

The Rockies need their pitchers to generate weak contact rather than waiting for Arizona hitters to strike themselves out.

THE ALEC BOHM QUESTION

Arizona enters Game 1 with one important complication.

Alec Bohm is on the postseason roster but is injured and unavailable for Game 1.

That changes Arizona's opening-game construction.

Miguel Andujar can handle third base, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa provides another option.

If Bohm becomes available beginning with Game 2 as Arizona hopes, the lineup changes considerably. Bohm can return to third base, while Andujar becomes available for right field or another matchup role.

So Colorado has an opportunity in Game 1.

Arizona will be playing its opener without one of the major players it specifically acquired for the postseason push.

COLORADO'S INJURY QUESTION

The Rockies have their own roster issue.

Ha-Seong Kim is currently on the injured list and could potentially become available beginning with Game 4.

Colorado therefore has to approach the early portion of the series knowing another versatile defensive and infield option could become available later.

But they first have to get there.

The players on the active Wild Card roster—including Willy Adames, Caleb Durbin, Brett Baty, Spencer Horwitz, Ildemaro Vargas, Joey Ortiz and Eric Wagaman—will have to handle the early-series infield assignments.

If the series extends and Kim is activated, Colorado gains another potential matchup piece.

ARIZONA'S LINEUP FLEXIBILITY

The Diamondbacks may not possess Colorado's overall offensive numbers, but their postseason roster gives them considerable platoon flexibility.

Against right-handed pitching, Arizona can construct a lineup around players such as:

Luis Arraez, Otto Lopez, Francisco Lindor, Miguel Andujar, Brendan Donovan, Jakob Marsee, Alex Call, Keibert Ruiz, Ivan Herrera

Once Bohm is available, Andujar can shift elsewhere and Arizona gains another middle-of-the-order option.

Against left-handed pitching, the roster changes significantly.

Andrew Vaughn, Gavin Sheets, Bohm and Andujar can become more prominent, while Donovan's defensive flexibility allows Arizona to rearrange the infield and outfield.

That's important against a Colorado rotation featuring left-handers Snell and Kershaw.

Arizona's roster was clearly constructed to give the manager choices.

COLORADO'S OFFENSIVE DEPTH

Colorado can counter with an extremely versatile group of its own.

The core is obvious:

Fernando Tatis Jr., Jung Hoo Lee, Matt Olson

But the supporting cast matters.

Spencer Horwitz hit .274 with a .346 OBP and .452 slugging percentage.

Lourdes Gurriel hit .263 and supplied 11 home runs.

Daylen Lile hit .312 with a .368 OBP.

And Will Smith provides another on-base threat behind the plate.

Colorado doesn't need one superstar to carry the offense.

The Rockies can string together hitters who put the ball in play and produce extra-base hits.

That may be their greatest offensive advantage over Arizona.

THE BULLPEN BATTLE

This could become fascinating.

Colorado has Emilio Pagan waiting at the back end.

Arizona counters with a seven-man bullpen of:

David Bednar, Nick Mears, Dylan Lee, Camilo Doval, Jalen Beeks, Fernando Cruz, Jeremiah Estrada

Bednar recorded 18 saves, placing him among the league leaders.

Arizona also has multiple options before Bednar, allowing the Diamondbacks to pursue matchup advantages rather than assigning every reliever a rigid inning.

In a short series, that matters.

Neither team should feel obligated to manage its bullpen like a regular-season four-game set.

If the biggest three outs arrive in the seventh inning, that's when the best available reliever may need to pitch.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

For Arizona, everything begins with Zac Gallen.

A 1.88 ERA over an 88-game KPSL season makes him one of the biggest potential difference-makers anywhere in the Wild Card Round.

Francisco Lindor is the offensive centerpiece. His combined .304/.395/.549 season gives Arizona something it didn't possess earlier in the year—a hitter capable of reaching base and changing a game with extra-base power.

And Ryan Pepiot could become one of the series' X-factors. His 0.90 WHIP indicates how difficult he was to reach against during the season.

For Colorado, Fernando Tatis Jr. is the catalyst.

He can affect the game with power, speed and baserunning.

Jung Hoo Lee could be even more troublesome for Arizona's pitching. His 30 doubles and 10 triples make him a constant threat to turn contact into immediate scoring position.

And then there's Emilio Pagan.

If Colorado repeatedly hands him late-inning leads, his 0.92 ERA and 15 saves could become one of the defining numbers of the series.

WHAT ARIZONA NEEDS TO DO TO ADVANCE

Arizona needs to make this a pitching series.

The Diamondbacks don't want to trade extra-base hits with Colorado.

They want Gallen, Pepiot, Abbott, King and Luzardo controlling games and allowing the bullpen to protect manageable leads.

Offensively, Arizona needs to embrace what it does well.

Put the ball in play.

The Diamondbacks struck out only 617 times. They don't have Colorado's home-run power, but Arraez, Lindor, Donovan, Lopez, Herrera and the rest of the lineup can create traffic.

Arizona also needs to exploit Colorado's left-handed starters through its roster construction. Vaughn, Andujar and eventually Bohm can become particularly important depending upon the matchup.

Most importantly, Arizona needs to remember what already happened.

The Diamondbacks won five of eight against Colorado.

They don't need to reinvent themselves to beat the Rockies.

They've already demonstrated that their style can work against them.

WHAT COLORADO NEEDS TO DO TO ADVANCE

Colorado needs to turn its offensive advantage into actual runs.

The Rockies were the better offensive club over 88 games, but Arizona allowed 20 fewer runs during the season.

That means Colorado can't afford to waste opportunities against Gallen, Pepiot and company.

Tatis needs to create pressure.

Lee needs to find gaps.

Olson needs to provide power.

And the hitters surrounding them need to make Arizona's starters work.

Colorado's starting pitchers also need to attack the strike zone. Arizona doesn't strike out frequently, so unnecessary walks only make the Diamondbacks' contact-oriented offense more dangerous.

And if Colorado reaches the late innings with a lead?

Get the ball to Pagan.

THE SERIES IN ONE SENTENCE

Colorado will try to prove that its 50-win season and deeper offense represent the better team; Arizona will try to prove that pitching—and a 5-3 head-to-head advantage—matter more in a short series.

The Rockies won five more games.

They scored more runs.

They hit for more power.

They produced more triples and stole more bases.

But Arizona posted the better ERA, allowed fewer runs, struck out more opposing hitters and put the ball in play more consistently.

And then there's the number neither side can ignore:

Arizona 5. Colorado 3.

That's how their eight regular-season meetings ended.

Now the slate resets.

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies.

Contact vs. extra-base power.

Gallen and Arizona's rotation vs. one of the deepest offenses in the league.