Rockies and Giants Collide in a Battle of Basement Dwellers

Two teams with losing records and fading seasons meet at Oracle Park Sunday afternoon — but that doesn't mean there's nothing to watch. Our model has no validated read on this one, so this game is genuinely wide open.

Let's be honest about what we're looking at: the Colorado Rockies (49-74) and the San Francisco Giants (51-72) are two of the more disappointing rosters in the National League this season. Neither club is playing for much at this point in August, but individual performances still matter, and this afternoon's 4:05 PM ET first pitch gives us some genuinely interesting player matchups to track.

On the mound, Gabriel Hughes is expected to start for Colorado, while Blade Tidwell is set to take the mound for San Francisco. Neither assignment is guaranteed until first pitch, but if those arms do go, the offensive players around them deserve attention. Hunter Goodman is the most dangerous bat Colorado is carrying into Oracle Park — 34 home runs and 69 RBI on the season make him a legitimate power threat regardless of the standings. Jake McCarthy adds a different dimension at .296, giving the Rockies a contact option at the top of the order who can set the table. For San Francisco, Rafael Devers leads the club with 24 home runs and 66 RBI, and he's the kind of hitter who can change a game with one swing against a pitcher finding his footing. Jung Hoo Lee at .293 gives the Giants a reliable bat who makes consistent contact and keeps innings alive.

Our model has no validated read on this game, and I'm not going to manufacture conviction where there isn't any. What I will say is this: when two sub-.500 teams with nothing to play for meet in late August, individual motivation becomes the real variable. Goodman's power numbers are legitimate — 34 home runs is a number that gets a player paid in arbitration. That's its own kind of pressure. Watch how both offenses attack the opposing starter early, because neither pitching staff has given its fanbase much reason for patience this year.