NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 26: Pitcher Jose Quintana #62 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the second inning of game one of a doubleheader against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 26, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 26: Pitcher Jose Quintana #62 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the second inning of game one of a doubleheader against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 26, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On April 17th, the Los Angeles Dodgers came to Denver with the best record in baseball, a relentless offense, and a pitching staff that made the matchup feel unfair. The Rockies did not need to prove they were better than Los Angeles. They just needed to survive it â and they did, finishing the four-game series with a split.
Now the script is back. Only this time, it is Atlanta.
The Braves arrive at Coors Field looking very much like one of baseballâs best teams. Atlanta enters the night with a best in baseball record of **22-10**, with a **+66 run differential**, and **3.12 team ERA**. The lineup is dangerous, the pitching has been excellent, and the record speaks for itself. This is not the 2025 Braves team that spent too much of last season searching for itself.
But these arenât the 2025 Rockies, either.
Colorado comes home **14-18**, still flawed, still near the bottom of the NL West, and still ranked **30th** in ESPNâs latest . There are reasons for that, sure. But the Rockies have also scored **137 runs** and allowed **144** â a more competitive profile than their reputation suggests. And they return to Denver after their best road swing of the season: a 4-2 trip that included a of the Mets in New York.
The strangest thing about the Rockies right now is not that they are suddenly good. They are not. The strangest thing is that they are giving people reasons to watch without irony. Things have changed ânot enough to declare everything fixed, but enough that fans can feel the shift.
Now comes the next test.
gets the ball for Colorado. He enters **1-2** with a **4.91 ERA** and **1.53 WHIP** through four starts, with some wobbly underlying numbers behind it: a **5.34 xERA**, **13.4% walk rate**, and **11.3% barrel rate**. Atlanta has seen plenty of him, too. Most of the history is manageable, but stands out, going **9-for-19 with three home runs** against Quintana. The veteran lefty wonât overpower this lineup. He needs to change speeds, keep traffic manageable, and avoid letting the Braves turn the opener into a runaway bullpen game.
On the other side, tonight is probably the most approachable matchup of the weekend, with on the bump for Atlanta â and are waiting behind him.
Holmes is not that kind of name, but he has been effective. He enters with a **2-1 record, 3.62 ERA,**and**1.21 WHIP** across six starts, though his **4.14 xERA** and **10.4% walk rate** suggest there should be traffic available if the Rockies make him work. Holmesâ slider has been his primary weapon. He has thrown it **39%** of the time, and it has produced a **51.6% whiff rate**. If Colorado spends the night helping him, the game will get away quickly. If the Rockies are patient enough to force him into the zone, there should be chances to do damage â especially at Coors.
The Rockies survived this kind of test once already.
Now they get to see if that was a one-off, or if there really is something stubborn and strange about this 30th-ranked team.
**First Pitch:**Â 6:40 PM MDT
**TV:**Â Rockies TV
**Radio:**Â KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
**Braves SB Nation site:**
**Lineups:**
