The Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies meet Friday night at Coors Field to begin a three-game series between two clubs desperate to find traction early in the 2025 season. The Nationals, currently 7–12, are in a minor slump, having dropped five of their last seven, but they’ve remained competitive thanks to improved production from key offensive players and strong outings from their young rotation. They’ll send left-hander MacKenzie Gore to the mound, who has been one of the few bright spots in their pitching staff, posting a 3.52 ERA and racking up 32 strikeouts across 23 innings. Gore’s lively fastball and aggressive mindset have helped him limit damage and pitch deep into games, making him a potential difference-maker against a struggling Colorado lineup. The Rockies, meanwhile, enter the series at 3–15 and are on a six-game losing streak, sitting at the bottom of the National League with little to build on other than the individual emergence of Brenton Doyle and the promise of rookie starter Chase Dollander. Dollander, the club’s top pitching prospect, has flashed talent in his first two big-league outings, striking out 10 over 10.2 innings, but his 5.06 ERA and struggles with the long ball (4 HR allowed) reflect the expected growing pains for a young arm pitching at altitude. Offensively, the Rockies have simply failed to find their rhythm, scoring just 12 runs over their last six games and ranking near the bottom of the league in nearly every major offensive category. Brenton Doyle, batting .345 with 12 RBIs, has been the lone standout, consistently getting on base and playing above-average defense in center field.

Outside of Doyle, the lineup has lacked consistency, and even at Coors Field—a notoriously hitter-friendly ballpark—the power has been absent, with Colorado averaging only 0.6 home runs per game. Facing Gore, a strikeout-heavy lefty with a high spin-rate arsenal, the Rockies will need to show a more disciplined approach, work counts, and look to capitalize on fastballs early in at-bats before Gore settles into his rhythm. Dollander, tasked with facing a Nationals offense that includes red-hot catcher Keibert Ruiz (.364 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI) and emerging power threat James Wood (6 HR, 12 RBI), will need to be sharp with his secondary pitches and avoid falling behind in counts. Colorado’s pitching staff has a collective ERA near 5.50, and the bullpen has been frequently overexposed due to short starts and minimal offensive support, a pattern they’ll be hoping to break against Washington. For the Nationals, this game is an opportunity to reset their momentum against a team that’s clearly reeling. Washington has covered the run line in seven of their last 10 games, and the offense is trending in the right direction with Ruiz and Wood leading the charge. Their approach has been to grind out long at-bats, play clean defense, and lean on Gore to keep them competitive into the late innings—an equation that has worked when executed properly. With the total for the game set at 9 runs and both starters likely to go at least five innings, the contest could hinge on which bullpen holds up better under pressure, and that advantage likely leans toward the Nationals. Colorado has failed to cover the spread in six straight games, and unless their bats come alive or Dollander produces his best outing yet, they could be facing another uphill battle. Friday’s matchup may not carry playoff implications, but for both teams, it represents a critical juncture to establish confidence, develop consistency, and avoid slipping further behind in their respective divisional races.