Rockies woes continue as Cubs blast Kyle Freeland

The Colorado Rockies haven’t even had the chance for their annual home-opener celebration, and already their 2024 campaign is flying off the rails.

And worse, their putative ace, Opening Day starter Kyle Freeland, absorbed a second shellacking in as many starts to open the campaign. Freeland didn’t even last four innings, surrendering seven earned runs on nine hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings of the 12-2 loss — and amazingly, his earned-run average improved by 13.16 runs, to a still-calamitous 25.41.

The Rockies didn’t finally hang a number other than zero on the Wrigley Field scoreboard until Michael Toglia’s 2-run blast in the top of the seventh inning, which narrowed the deficit to 10-2. Prior to Toglia’s home run, they’d logged 19-straight scoreless innings.

Tuesday night’s loss came on the heels of a shutout defeat in the Chicago Cubs’ home opener Monday afternoon. That game saw Dakota Hudson take the loss despite not allowing an earned run, as the contest got away from the Rockies on a 2-error play that scored 3 runs.

With the loss, the Rockies fell to 1-5. Their minus-33 run differential is not only the worst for any Rockies team through six games, but it is tied for the sixth-worst at this point in a season for any Major League Baseball team since 1901.

The Rockies are also 1-5 for the first time since 2008 and the third time in club history.

KYLE FREELAND ISN’T THE ONLY FOUNDATIONAL PIECE STRUGGLING

Kris Bryant, the team’s highest-paid player, also continued to struggle as he remained as cold as blustery Chicago itself. Working in right field Tuesday, the former Chicago Cubs standout — who won a MVP award for the North Siders in their 2016 World Series-winning season — went 0-for-2, although he reached base twice after being hit by pitches in the second and eighth innings.

Bryant remains hitless through six games.