Rockies Name Kyle Freeland Their Starter For Opening Day
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black announced on Sunday that left-hander Kyle Freeland will start on Opening Day on March 28 against the Tampa Bay Rays on the road. It will be Freeland's fourth career Opening Day nod for the Rockies. While Freeland should go ignored in most mixed fantasy leagues in 2025, he could be worth a look as a cheap DFS play in his first start of 2025 against Tampa. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw only made 21 starts (113 1/3 innings) in 2024 due to injuries and had a second straight season with an ERA above 5.00 while also posting a 1.41 WHIP with 85 strikeouts and 26 walks. He can have the occasional solid performance, but Freeland has mostly been inconsistent in his time in Colorado and has given fantasy managers headaches in deeper leagues with his lack of command. He has a career 4.48 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with a below-average 17.2 percent strikeout rate.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland looked sharp on the mound during Sunday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The southpaw was able to induce a ton of soft contact during this game. He allowed one unearned run while striking out four batters across six innings of work. It's not an easy task to hold this Brewers lineup in check. Freeland has been better as of late with three quality starts in his last four outings. He could be a low-end streaming option for his next outing against the Chicago Cubs.
Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland (finger) was forced to leave his start early on Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves due to another blister issue on his left middle finger. The Rockies don't think the condition will prevent Freeland from making his next scheduled start, though, which will come on Sunday in Milwaukee against the first-place Brewers. Despite the lingering issue, the 31-year-old southpaw was effective on Tuesday and allowed just one earned run while striking out five in five innings (79 pitches). He dealt with the same blister issue in the middle of last month. In 13 starts since returning from an elbow injury in late June, Freeland has allowed two earned runs or fewer nine times and has an ERA of 3.63 in that span with 64 K's and 16 walks in 74 1/3 innings. Despite the nice recent stretch, Freeland will be a risky fantasy play in Milwaukee coming off another blister issue.
Kyle Freeland Picks Up Win With Another Quality Start
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland picked up the win in Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the Angels, throwing seven innings of one-run ball. The southpaw allowed six hits and no walks while striking out six. It was just the third win of the season for the 31-year-old, but all three wins have come in his last four starts. Despite the gaudy 5.64 ERA, he's pitched very well since coming off the IL in June, posting six quality starts in his last seven starts with a 2.91 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and an 18.5% K-BB% over that stretch. Impressively, he's got a 1.88 ERA at Coors Field this season in four home starts, which is where he'll pitch in his next turn through the rotation against the Mets. He could be an under-the-radar waiver add for teams in need of pitching help as he's just 12% rostered in Yahoo leagues.
Kyle Freeland Continues Hot Stretch With Quality Start
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland recorded a quality start on Wednesday, striking out nine batters over 6 2/3 innings in his appearance against the hosting Cincinnati Reds. Freeland picked up his first win of the year on Wednesday, allowing two runs on eight hits and one walk in a great outing against the Reds. In four starts since coming off the injured list on June 23, the 31-year-old left-hander has a sharp 1.71 ERA and 21:5 K:BB covering 26 1/3 innings. Freeland is someone to monitor on fantasy waiver wires during the All-Star break, as he won't pitch again until after then.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland made his return to the mound after not pitching since mid-April. The left-hander showed no signs of rust as he cruised through the Washington Nationals hitters on Sunday. Freeland threw six shutout innings, allowing one hit while striking out four batters in the no-decision. The veteran southpaw hasn't always been a viable option but should carry solid streaming appeal against the Chicago White Sox during his next start.
Kyle Freeland To Return From Injured List And Start On Sunday
Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland (elbow) will come off the 60-day injured list this weekend and make the start on Sunday against the visiting Washington Nationals, according to manager Bud Black. In his third and final minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, Freeland allowed two earned runs on two hits while walking four and striking out four in four innings of work. The 31-year-old southpaw only threw 67 pitches in that outing, so fantasy managers considering streaming him right away in deeper leagues should be very hesitant to do so. The start will also be at hitter-friendly Coors Field, and Freeland wasn't effective at all earlier this year before his injury, going 0-3 with a brutal 13.21 ERA, 2.55 WHIP and only nine strikeouts in 15 2/ innings over his four starts. At best, Freeland is a deep-league streaming option away from Coors in the right matchups.
Kyle Freeland To Throw Live Batting Practice On Tuesday
Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland (elbow) threw a bullpen session in Los Angeles on Saturday and is in line to throw live batting practice on Tuesday in Denver before a game against the visiting Cincinnati Reds. Manager Bud Black estimated that Freeland is "three weeks away (or) three and a half." Freeland initially suffered a left-elbow strain during an outing on April 14 against the Toronto Blue Jays. "Windup, stretch, no issues," Freeland said of his May 29 bullpen session. The 31-year-old southpaw is getting closer to rejoining the Rockies' starting rotation, and barring any setbacks, he could be back with the club by the end of June. At best, Freeland is a low-upside streaming option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues when he's on the road and not at Coors Field.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (elbow) has been transferred to the 60-day injured list on Friday. The left-hander hasn't made much progress in his recovery efforts lately. Freeland was able to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. However, the 31-year-old is still a month or two away from returning. He was shifted to the 60-day injured list in order to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Freeland back until around the All-Star break.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (elbow) was able to throw a successful bullpen session on Wednesday. This was the first time that Freeland was able to throw since landing on the injured list due to a left elbow strain. The expectation is that Freeland will throw a few more bullpen sessions before going on a rehab assignment. There isn't a clear timetable for his return, but a return in middle or late June is possible.
Kyle Freeland
• SP
•
Rockies
