The San Diego Padres have lost just four of their 23 games since the All-Star break, with two of those defeats coming against the Colorado Rockies — the team with the worst record in the National League.

The Rockies posted a 7-3 win in the opener of a three-game series on Friday between the National League West rivals in Denver.

The series continues Saturday when the Padres will send right-hander Dylan Cease (11-9, 3.41 ERA) to the mound against Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland (3-4, 5.75).

Cease, acquired from the Chicago White Sox before the start of the season, is coming off a 7-6 loss to the Miami Marlins last Sunday, hampered by three unearned runs. It was his first loss since July 7 and ended his personal winning streak at four.

Mixed in that streak was his first career no-hitter, a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals on July 25. He followed that gem with an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31.

Cease understands the need to pile up wins in the competitive NL playoff picture. The Padres are tied with the Diamondbacks for second place in the NL West, three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, but both San Diego and Arizona hold wild-card spots entering play Saturday.

“Every game we’re playing now is extremely important,” Cease said recently. “We need to continue to bring this focus and intensity and effort to every game we’re playing. We’re really looking good right now.”

Cease is facing the Rockies for the third time this season and fifth time in his career. He is 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA in his four starts versus Colorado, including 1-1 in 2024.

Cease will have to deal with the thin air and a fired-up fanbase with the Rockies honoring newly inducted Hall of Fame first baseman Todd Helton on Saturday. It is fitting that Freeland is on the mound, considering he grew up in Denver rooting for Colorado during Helton’s career.

The question is whether Freeland can stick around in this start. He has been forced from his past two outings with blisters on different parts of his pitching hand.

Freeland has not pitched against the Padres yet this season but has seen them plenty of times in his career. He is 7-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 23 appearances (21 starts) against San Diego.

Freeland must hope he can get the kind of run support Colorado has given its pitchers in the past two home games. The Rockies scored nine runs against Atlanta on Sunday and tacked on seven Friday night, three on Brendan Rodgers’ homer in the first inning.

Rodgers has been hitting well lately after another slow start to his season.

“He’s hitting well at home, I like that, but overall on the road we’re seeing good at-bats, too,” manager Bud Black said after Friday’s win. “He’s driving the ball better, the swing is crisp with some bat speed to it. What’s good about it to me and the coaching staff is it’s happening at the time of the year when you have to fight through some things mentally and physically to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

–Field Level Media