Rockies Clinch Berth in 2018 MLB Playoffs with Win over Nationals

The Colorado Rockies are headed back to the postseason following a 5-2 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday night at Coors Field. 

The victory temporarily put the Rockies 1.5 games up on the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West with two contests remaining in the regular season. 

The Rockies made the playoffs last year as the NL's final wild-card qualifier, but they bowed out of the postseason following a thrilling 11-8 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks with a spot in the NLDS on the line. 

This season, the Rockies kept pace in the race for a playoff spot because of their starting lineup's power-packed stylings. As a club, Colorado ranks second in the NL in slugging percentage (.432) and OPS (.754). 

Those figures have been buoyed by the production of offensive pillars DJ LeMahieu, Trevor Story, Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon.      

If there's a worry with the Rockies, it's their rotation. Colorado's starting staff ranks 12th among NL clubs with a 4.18 ERA, and there's a noticeable drop-off in top-end talent beyond Kyle Freeland and German Marquez, who has been scalding hot (2.55 ERA) since the All-Star break in July. 

On top of that, Rockies relievers rank 13th in the NL with a 4.61 ERA. The only clubs with worse marks are the New York Mets and Miami Marlins. 

On the bright side, the Rockies have demonstrated an ability to hang tough away from the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. While Colorado was just one game over .500 (41-40) on the road a year ago, manager Bud Black's squad displayed a bit of improvement and went 44-37 this season. 

That's not a whopping difference, to be sure, but it's clear the Rockies won't be pushovers even when they aren't surrounded by thin air. 

And given the haymakers their star-studded lineup can pack, a run toward the NL pennant isn't out of the question for a team that has caught fire down the stretch.