Braves' Freeman looks to stay hot versus Rockies (Aug 25, 2017)
ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman takes a 12-game hitting streak into the Atlanta Braves' home series with the Colorado Rockies that begins Friday with his bobblehead night.
You would think that Freeman's left wrist, broken by a pitch on May 17, is back to full strength. The first baseman said that is hardly the case.
"It's probably about 80-85 percent," said Freeman, who returned to the Braves' lineup July 4 almost three weeks before originally expected.
Freeman had 14 homers in 37 games prior to being plunked by Toronto's Aaron Loup. He has gone deep eight times since in 44 games, with only one homer in his past 14 games. However, he is batting .412 during the hitting streak.
"I can't hit one out right now," said Freeman, who is hitting .329 with a .423 on-base percentage and 53 RBIs. "They aren't going out like they used to."
Freeman's lone homer since Aug. 8 came in the light air of Colorado on Aug. 17 off the Rockies' Jeff Hoffman.
The Braves, who had gone the previous two seasons without a win in Denver, split the four-game series earlier this month and now get a crack at Colorado in new SunTrust Park.
The Rockies were 29-64 at Turner Field, typical of their normal road woes.
Colorado (69-58) holds the second National League wild-card spot and leads Milwaukee by 3 1/2 games despite losing 11 of its past 16 games. The Rockies snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 interleague victory at Kansas City on Thursday.
Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis will make his third start since returning from testicular cancer and second against the Braves in the opener of the series, with Julio Teheran opposing him in a rematch from Aug. 14.
Bettis (0-0, 1.93 ERA) had a dramatic return from the disabled list against the Braves (56-69) in Denver, working seven scoreless innings while giving up six hits and walking none.
He also had a seven-inning no-decision against Milwaukee at home Saturday, allowing seven hits and three runs.
Bettis' velocity is down a little from last year, when he won 14 games, but the 28-year-old Texan appears to be getting back to his old self.
"He's making pitches when he needs to. He's changing speeds, which is what he does," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "He pitches, he keeps the ball down, he elevates when he needs to. He can get a ball on the corner. So he's pitching."
Endurance hasn't been an issue after Bettis build up during a lengthy minor league rehab. He threw 90 pitches against the Braves and 92 against the Brewers.
"I feel strong and good, which is nice. So in that aspect, I would say that's probably midseason," Bettis said. "But getting back to executing my stuff, I need to be a little bit better."
Bettis is 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven career outings (six starts) against the Braves.
Teheran (7-11, 5.02 ERA) matched Bettis' seven scoreless innings in a no-decision at Colorado to continue his solid road work. However, he was touched for five runs (four earned) in six innings of an 11-8 home loss to Cincinnati on Saturday.
Since winning his first start of the season at home, Teheran is 0-9 in 12 subsequent starts at SunTrust Park. His home ERA is 6.98.
Teheran, who allowed four hits and struck out eight in Denver, is 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA in eight career games against the Rockies.
