NL Wild Card Game 2017: 5 reasons Rockies will win

4. Pat Neshek matches Archie Bradley

Both teams have question marks in the ninth inning with Greg Holland for the Rockies going up against Fernando Rodney of the Diamondbacks. This game may be decided by which team’s setup men can give them more after the starting pitchers exit. Arizona’s best man out of the bullpen is Archie Bradley. The Rockies will counter with 2017 All-Star Pat Neshek.

Neshek was a shrewd pickup at the trade deadline by the Rockies this year. The 37-year-old submariner has pitched in 28 games since being acquired and has a 2.45 ERA while giving up only one home run and one walk in 22 innings and striking out 24. Neshek won’t blow anyone away, but he is dependable and won’t put his team in a tricky spot with shoddy command.

The Rockies might still have to worry about Holland’s reliability if the game is close going into the ninth inning. They have an interesting bullpen with three members striking out more than 10 per nine, but only two pitchers with an ERA below 3.00. Adam Ottavino and Mike Dunn are two important members of the Rockies bullpen, but both can be prone to the longball. Chris Rusin is the multi-inning arm to watch if Gray comes out before the sixth inning.

It will be all hands on deck for the Rockies bullpen on Wednesday night, and they do have the power arms necessary to get the ever-valuable strikeouts that have become the most important currency in the postseason.