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Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar’s $63.5 million contract carries big expectations

Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar’s $63.5 million contract carries big expectations

27/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31699801

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Rockies figure they hit the jackpot with shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. On Tuesday, they rewarded him with a life-changing contract.

“It’s a blessing and I’m so excited that the Rockies believed in me, and I’m excited to be here for a long time,” the 22-year-old said after officially signing a $63.5 million, seven-year contract extension. The deal includes a team option for 2031 that could boost the agreement to $84 million over eight seasons.

The Rockies have known about Tovar since he was a 13-year-old kid in Maracay, Venezuela. He first grabbed the attention of Frank Roa, one of the Rockies’ Latin American scouts. A year later, Roa insisted that Rolando Fernandez, Colorado’s vice president of international scouting and development, see Tovar up close and personal.

“I went to the Roberto Vahlis Baseball Academy in the Dominican (Republic) with Frank,” Fernandez recalled. “We went to see another player. Tovar was just 14, and he was just 5-foot-8, 145 pounds at the time. But Roa told me that he had been following Tovar and he was the best player in the academy. We decided to stay close to him and continued to evaluate him until his eligible age.”

Fernandez signed Tovar for $800,000 on Aug. 1, 2017 — Tovar’s 16th birthday. The Rockies thought they had discovered a special player. They were right.

As a rookie last season, Tovar was a National League Gold Glove finalist and led the Rockies with 153 games played. He slashed .253/.287/.408 with 15 home runs, 37 doubles, four triples, 73 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. His 37 doubles were tied with Hall of Famer Todd Helton (1998) for the most by a rookie in franchise history.

Blessed with a strong arm, quick feet and excellent hand-eye coordination, Tovar is a steady presence at shortstop and capable of highlight-reel plays. In 2023, he was credited with 13 defensive runs saved, ranking fourth among major league shortstops. His 16 outs above average were tied for the sixth-most among all position players and second among shortstops.

He said that’s just the beginning.

“I felt like I belonged here when I made my start in big leagues,” Tovar said, referring to his debut on Sept. 23, 2022. “I think the overall experience, and being around the veteran players, has made me better. I’ve learned to be a big leaguer.”

The Rockies, Tovar and Tovar’s agent worked out the new contract in about a week. Both sides were eager to reach a long-term deal.

“Something that everybody should understand is that he wants to be here,” manager Bud Black said. “That speaks volumes.”

Tovar received a $1.5 million signing bonus and salaries of $1.5 million this season, $4 million in 2025, $5 million in 2026, $8 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028, $14 million in 2029 and $16 million in 2030. The Rockies hold the option for $23 million in 2031 with a $2.5 million buyout.

“First and foremost, we believe in him and what he has a chance to be down the road,” general manager Bill Schmidt said. “He has a chance to be a very, very good player. We believe in him, and like a lot of our young players, he’s somebody we can build around.”

The Rockies have had several stellar shortstops throughout their history, including Troy Tulowitzki and Trevor Story. The Rockies believe Tovar will carry the torch.

“Offensively, there is more in there,” Black said. “There should be an increase in on-base percentage. He hit 15 homers last year, and I think there’s a little bit more there as well, moving forward.

“There’s a clutch aspect in there, too. He doesn’t scare off. I think he likes big moments and he shines, potentially, on a bigger stage — September, playoffs, World Series. I think he’s that type of player. He wants to win. I like that.”

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/26/ezequiel-tovar-rockies-shortstop-contract-expectations/
Michael Toglia hits way onto Rockies’ 26-man roster

Michael Toglia hits way onto Rockies’ 26-man roster

27/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31699430

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Michael Toglia, the Rockies’ first-round pick out of UCLA in 2019, has made the 26-man roster with a strong showing in spring training.

The first baseman/outfielder hit .259 with five home runs and 13 RBIs. He struck out 19 times and drew six walks.

Toglia, essentially, beat out Sean Bouchard for the job. Bouchard, the favorite to win the starting job in right field when camp opened, hit just .205 with one homer and four RBIs. Bouchard will begin the season at Triple-A Albuquerque.

Veteran Alan Trejo also made the opening-day roster as the utility infielder. Trejo will have to be added to the 40-man roster, but the club has not yet announced a corresponding move.

This story will be updated.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/26/michael-toglia-rockies-26-man-roster/
Rockies spring training recap: Dakota Hudson serves up three homers to Brewers

Rockies spring training recap: Dakota Hudson serves up three homers to Brewers

26/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31698157

Brewers 10, Rockies 1
At American Family Fields

On the mound: Dakota Hudson, pegged as Colorado’s fifth starter, was not particularly sharp in his fifth and final Cactus League start, allowing four runs (three earned) over five innings. The right-hander served up three solo home runs and seven hits total. Hudson finished his spring with a 4.20 ERA with seven walks and 13 strikeouts over 15 innings. Hudson is scheduled to take the mound next Monday at Wrigley Field in Chicago vs. the Cubs. … Right-handed reliever Nick Mears gave up three runs on three hits in one-third of an inning. His spring ERA is 8.22.

At the plate: Colorado’s offense didn’t do much Monday, save for catcher Jacob Stallings, who hit 2 for 2, including a double and a walk. He’s hit safely in four of his last six games, going 6 for 16 (.375). … Catcher Daniel Cope, called up from the minors for the game, hit his first homer in a Cactus League game.

Prospect watch: No. 1 prospect Adael Amador was called up for the game and started at second base. He went 0 for 4, and his average is just .200. But manager Bud Black said the club has been impressed with the 20-year-old’s patient at-bats, ability to draw walks and poise.

Up next: Brewers at Rockies, 1:10 p.m. Tuesday (2:10 p.m. MDT). Cactus League finale.

Rockies probable pitchers: RHP Ryan Feltner, RHP Victor Vodnik, RHP John Curtiss, RHP Matt Koch.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/25/rockies-spring-training-recap-dakota-hudson-brewers/
Rockies’ inexperienced bullpen has some raw talent, lots of holes

Rockies’ inexperienced bullpen has some raw talent, lots of holes

26/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31698084

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Four things to know about the Rockies’ bullpen as Thursday’s season-opening game against Arizona looms:

1. There are some good, live arms in the ‘pen.

2. The relievers lack experience, meaning growing pains are expected.

3. Personnel changes throughout the season are inevitable.

4. There will be some ugly innings.

The unanswered question: Will the ‘pen be any better than last season?

It could hardly get much worse. Rockies relievers posted a 5.38 ERA, the highest in the majors, fourth-highest in franchise history, and the worst for a full season since 2004 (5.53 ERA). Colorado’s 33 blown saves tied Texas for the most in the majors and were the second-most in franchise history (2004, 34).

Unless there is a late change, Colorado’s bullpen will look like this to start the season:

• Closer: right-hander Justin Lawrence (3.72 ERA, 75 innings, 11 saves in 18 opportunities in 2023).

• Primary set-up man: right-hander Tyler Kinley (6.60, 16 2/3, five saves in seven opportunities).

• Late-game reliever: Jake Bird (4.33, 89 1/3).

• Lone left-hander: Jalen Beeks (5.95, 42 1/3, with Tampa Bay).

• Long relievers: right-hander Peter Lambert (3-7, 5.36, 87 1/3, 11 starts) and Rule 5 draft pickup Anthony Molina (5-7, 4.50, 122 innings, 27 starts for Tampa Bay’s Double-A and Triple-A teams).

• Middle relievers: right-handers Nick Mears (3.72, 19 1/3) and Victor Vodnik (8.31, 8 2/3).

Manager Bud Black’s short assessment of his bullpen: “I like the stuff, but in so many ways, it’s inexperienced. We don’t have a lot of service time out there. I like the arms, I like the mentality, and there is upside potential. (But) a lot of them are unfinished products and there is room to grow.”

Black hopes he doesn’t have to trudge the well-worn path from the dugout to the mound as often as last season, when injuries to the starting rotation and the starters’ ineffectiveness led to an overworked bullpen. Rockies relievers combined to throw 647 innings, the seventh-most relief innings in the majors and the second-most in franchise history, just behind the 2012 Rockies’ 657 innings. It should be recalled that the 2012 season was the season of the failed “piggyback” pitching experiment.

Lawrence is penciled in as the closer. Black likes Lawrence’s nasty stuff and ability to get out of trouble via strikeouts or groundball outs. Black also likes Kinley’s poise and competitiveness and won’t hesitate to use him in the ninth inning.

“When you look at their number of saves, that (saver) role hasn’t been battle-tested,” Black said. But I do think, mentally and physically, they can handle it. Time will tell.”

Lawrence’s 2023 season was a roller-coaster ride. He was almost unhittable in the early going, posting a 1.47 ERA in 15 appearances. In June, he took over the closer role when Pierce Johnson (later traded to Atlanta) began walking batters. In Lawrence’s first 17 games as the closer, he converted seven of eight save opportunities and put up a 1.86 ERA. But he slumped in the second half of the season, and Kinley took over the ninth-inning role in early September.

In 38 appearances before the All-Star break, Lawrence had a 2.76 ERA and opponents hit just .188 against him. But in the second half, his ERA soared to 5.22 in 31 outings and opponents hit .299.

Colorado’s most dependable reliever is Bird, but Black is hopeful he won’t need to lean on the right-hander as much. Bird pitched 84 2/3 innings of relief last season, tied for the most among major league relievers and the ninth-most all-time by a Rockie. He also pitched five innings as an emergency starter.

“Jake was very reliable and one of the best relief pitchers in the National League,” Black said. “He’s valuable because of the multi-inning aspect, his stuff and his resiliency. He was a horse.”

For now, Beeks is the only lefty in the bullpen, partly because Black wants two long relievers to begin the season and also because Colorado doesn’t have any other lefty relievers ready to fill that role.

Reinforcements should arrive later in the spring when lefty Lucas Gilbreath and right-hander Daniel Bard come off the injured list. Gilbreath, who’s rehabbing from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last March, is making steady progress. He scheduled to throw live batting practice for the first time on Tuesday.

Bard, Colorado’s primary closer in 2022, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in mid-February and had PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections in his right forearm during the offseason. Bard plans to throw his first full bullpen session off the mound on Tuesday. He could be ready to rejoin the Rockies at some point in May.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/25/colorado-rockies-bullpen-inexperienced/
Renck vs. Keeler: Who will be Rockies’ MVP this season?

Renck vs. Keeler: Who will be Rockies’ MVP this season?

26/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31697833

Sean Keeler: Say it ain’t so, NoJo! For all the guff we give Bill Schmidt and the Rockies front office, one of the more pleasant scout-’em-and-steal-’em scenarios in recent years has been the acquisition of outfielder/barrel-on-ball machine Nolan Jones — which felt like an outright theft from the Cleveland Guardians last season, am I right? Sadly, Rockies karma never sleeps, so naturally, the guy fouls a pitch off his right knee over the weekend. It sounds as if it’s just a serious bruise, saints be praised. But the Rockies also didn’t waste any time covering their corner outfield bases just in case — trading for another left-handed-hitting AL Central alum in ex-Twins prospect Jake Cave on Sunday. All of which got me thinking (which is dangerous, I’ll grant you): What if NoJo, who hit 20 bombs, stole 20 bases and became one of the great-under-the radar finds in baseball last summer, can’t go for any extended length of time this season? Who’s your “Plan B” projected Rockies Most Valuable Player for 2024 then?

Troy Renck: “Most valuable” remains subjective and becomes more difficult when a team stinks. But baseball is a series of solo performances in a concert. It is, in many ways, an individual sport. And no sport makes it easier to define a player through numbers. It is for this reason I land on Ezequiel Tovar as the team’s best player. For starters, he’s a steady shortstop, which provides unique value. Secondly, he boasts power and a new longterm contract. He is the future face of the franchise. And the 21-year-old should prove it this year by hitting .280 with 20 home runs and a summer of glove at Coors Field.

Keeler: The ceiling for this team is pretty much as high as Ezequiel Tovar can lift it — but that’s a lot of pressure to put on a 21-year-old shortstop, even for a kid with that much sheer talent across the board. I mean, if we’re talking MVPs, it should be Kris Bryant every year, right? But then again, it should’ve been KB in ’23. And the season before that. Even if the guy’s heart is in it, his body and health are too dang capricious to assume even 100 games played, when it’s all said and done. I think that Charlie Blackmon’s still got enough left in the tank and that second baseman Brendan Rodgers has another gear. Kyle Freeland is a bulldog, and it stinks that German Marquez is a half-season pitcher as a best-case scenario. But if it’s my nickel, I’m hitching my backup wagon to a guy as certain as a drunken fan escaping Coors Field security along the first-base line: Ryan McMahon.

Renck: Ryan McMahon is intriguing. He always is. But he typically endures a six-week offensive abyss that makes his overall numbers disappointing. He is smoother than left-out butter at third base. He plays every day. He is reliable. But that does not make him most valuable. His own GM called him an “average player,” declaring they need more from McMahon. He hit .240 with 23 home runs last season. Can he reach .270 with 30 home runs? Then you’ve got something.

Keeler: With me and RyMac, it’s easy — stone-cold consistency. Get this: Since 2021, the Rockies third baseman has appeared in 151, then 153, then 152 games. He’s hit 23, then 20, then 23 homers. He’s knocked in 86, then 67, then 70 runs. He’s walked 59, then 60, then 68 times. He’s posted OPS figures of .779, then .741, then .753. He’s totaled single-season WAR figures, per Baseball Reference, of 3.9, then 3.1, then 2.9. Can me boring if you like, my man. But I call McMahon Mr. Dependable.

Renck: I don’t see it with McMahon. I love that you are thinking outside the batter’s box, but it doesn’t mean you are right. If Tovar feels the pressure of his new deal and backslides — he would not be the first player to experience a sophomore slump — then I go back to Rodgers, Jones or Freeland. It should be Kris Bryant. But I don’t see it. Not after all the injuries. I am also not worried about Jones’ knee until I have to be. He is an athletic marvel and could post a 30-home run, 100-RBI season. Rodgers has All-Star potential. However, if he has a strong first half, I would trade him for pitching. If the Rockies are to avoid 100 losses, it starts with their arms. While Tovar, Jones and McMahon all are strong candidates for MVP,  Freeland rebounding like Dennis Rodman would provide more optimism about not only this season, but also the future.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/25/rockies-debate-team-mvp-this-season-renck-keeler/
Rockies spring training recap: Lefty Austin Gomber rebounds, Charlie Blackmon stays red hot

Rockies spring training recap: Lefty Austin Gomber rebounds, Charlie Blackmon stays red hot

25/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31696416

Rockies 7, White Sox 2
At Salt River Fields

On the mound: Austin Gomber, rocked in his last start, rebounded with a solid five-inning performance. He limited the White Sox to one run on four hits, striking out three and walking two. The left-hander finished his Cactus League season with a 9.95 ERA. He’ll start in Arizona. … Right-handed relievers Matt Carasiti and Riley Pint were impressive, each throwing a scoreless inning. Pint walked the leadoff batter but then struck out the side.

At the plate: At age 37, Charlie Blackmon rakes like he’s 27. He went 3-for-3 with a double and is hitting .378 with a .982 OPS. He’s slashing .421/.450/.658 through 13 games in March. … Brendan Rodgers continued his steady spring, going 1-for-3 and driving in a run. He’s batting .362. He has a hit in 14 of 17 games.

Prospect watch: Hunter Goodman snapped a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning with a three-run home run, his third homer of spring. … First baseman Trevor Boone, who played 42 games at Triple-A Albuquerque last season, hit his first career Cactus League home run in the bottom of the eighth.

Up next: Rockies at Brewers, 1:10 p.m. Monday (2:10 p.m. MDT)

Rockies probable pitchers: RHP Dakota Hudson, LJHP Jalen Beeks, RHP Rick Mears, RHP Victor Vodnik.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/24/rockies-spring-training-recap-austin-gombercharlie-blackmon/
Ezequiel Tovar agrees to seven-year, $63.5 million extension with Rockies, source says

Ezequiel Tovar agrees to seven-year, $63.5 million extension with Rockies, source says

25/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31696163

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ezequiel Tovar, the Rockies’ promising young shortstop of the present, has been locked up for the future.

Tovar, 22, a Gold Glove finalist as a rookie last season, has agreed to a seven-year, $63.5 million contract extension, a major league source confirmed Sunday. El ExtraBase first reported the news and the terms of the contract.

Tovar’s new contract is still pending the completion of a physical, and the Rockies have not announced the deal. The contract would keep Tovar in a Rockies uniform through 2030 and includes a club option in 2031 that would boost the contract’s total value to $84 million.

Tovar, from Maracay, Venezuela, led the Rockies with 153 games played last season, slashing .253/.287/.408 with 15 home runs, 37 doubles, four triples, 73 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. His 37 doubles were tied with Hall of Famer Todd Helton (1998) for the most by a rookie in franchise history. His 73 RBIs were the fourth-most by a rookie in franchise history, trailing only Troy Tulowitzki (99, 2007), Helton (97, 1998) and Garrett Atkins (89, 2005).

Tovar finished the season with 13 defensive runs saved, the fourth-most among major league shortstops and ranking second in the National League.

“There are certain players on the field who have a presence and a leadership personality on the field,” manager Bud Black said earlier this spring. “My first couple of years here, I think Nolan (Arenado) had that. Tovar doesn’t have to be that guy just because he’s a shortstop, but I’ll tell you what, in the coming years, and it could come as soon as this year, he could get that kind of respect.

“He’s still a young player and he only has one year of service time, but he’s getting that clubhouse respect. I think that’s cool to see him get that from the younger guys and even some of the older guys. It’s because of who he is, his character, his integrity and how he plays the game.”

Veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland said he saw Tovar grow tremendously as a rookie.

“What I saw last year was a young player becoming comfortable in the shoes he belongs in,” Freeland said. “I would say early on last year, he was a little timid. I wouldn’t say scared, but that was a lot of weight to carry as a 21-year-old kid.

“Once he realized that everybody on the team believed in him, including the coaching staff, he relaxed. Once he knew that, ‘Hey, you’re our shortstop and our leader in the infield,’ he embraced that role. That allowed him to do his thing.”

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/24/ezequiel-tovar-contract-extension-rockies/
Rockies spring training recap: Cal Quantrill serves up four homers, Alan Trejo hits third homer

Rockies spring training recap: Cal Quantrill serves up four homers, Alan Trejo hits third homer

24/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31694602

Reds 6, Rockies 2
At Goodyear Ballpark

On the mound: Cal Quantrill, pegged to start Friday against Arizona in Colorado’s second game of the regular season, had a rough Cactus League finale. The right-hander was dinged for four homers in 4 2/3 innings, giving up 12 hits and six runs overall. Two of the homers were wind-blown and the Reds dumped in a couple of bloop hits. Quantrill walked two and struck out two. Manager Bud Black said he wasn’t concerned about the right-hander’s off day. Quantrill finished with a 5.28 ERA but said that he had a strong spring and improved the command of his split-finger changeup. … Tyler Kinley (3.68 ERA) and Jake Bird (3.38) tossed a spotless inning in relief. Both right-handers have had excellent springs.

At the plate: Colorado was limited to six hits, and both of its runs came on a two-run home run by Alan Trejo in the fifth inning. It was the utility infielder’s third homer of spring and boosted his chance of making the 26-man roster. Trejo, who came to camp as a non-roster invitee, has hit .270, and played second, third and shortstop. … Starting shortstop Ezequiel Tovar hit a first-inning triple, and five of the Rockies’ six hits went for extra bases, including doubles by Charlie Blackmon, Benny Montgomery and Elehuris Montero.

Prospect watch: Greg Jones, acquired in a trade from Tampa Bay on Thursday, made his Rockies debut, going 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. He started in center field.

Up next: White Sox at Rockies, 1:10 p.m. Sunday (2:10 p.m. MDT)

Rockies probable pitchers: LHP Austin Gomber, RHP Nick Mears, LHP Evan Justice, RHP Victor Vodnik.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/23/rockies-spring-training-recap-cal-quantrill/
How can the Rockies return to relevance? Here’s six key mileposts on the road back to Rocktober.

How can the Rockies return to relevance? Here’s six key mileposts on the road back to Rocktober.

23/03/2024, USA, Multi Sports, USA Publications, Article # 31692764

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Rockies’ road to relevance will be paved with good intentions but undoubtedly full of potholes.

Injuries, disappointing prospects, the rigors of competing in the National League West and the vagaries of baseball at 5,280 feet are unavoidable obstacles. That doesn’t mean the Rockies cannot start winning again, but it won’t be easy.

The Rockies must reach six key mileposts to end their five-season losing streak and return to playoff contention:

Catch a rising star

Star power has been sorely lacking in LoDo. In 2019, the Rockies sent four players to the All-Star game: third baseman Nolan Arenado, shortstop Trevor Story and outfielders Charlie Blackmon and David Dahl. Since then, the Rockies have sent just one player yearly to the Midsummer Classic.

Colorado needs dynamic, game-changing young players like Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Carroll was the unanimous 2023 National League rookie of the year, while Henderson was the unanimous ROY in the AL. Both players were instrumental in their team’s return to the playoffs after 110-loss seasons in 2021.

History illustrates how a young star can spark a team. Rookie shortstop Troy Tulowitzki helped lead Colorado to the World Series in 2007. In 2017-18, the only time the Rockies have made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, it was Story’s turn to play the role of young wunderkind.

The 2024 Rockies have excellent young talent poised to break out, notably shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and outfielders Nolan Jones and Brenton Doyle, all of whom will start this season. Down on the farm, infielder Adael Amador and outfielders Yanquiel Fernandez and Jordan Beck show great potential, but do they have star power? If the Rockies are to escape their current malaise, they better hope so.

LEFT - Colorado Rockies infielder Ezequiel Tovar (14), right, and Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez (48) look on from the dugout late in the 9th inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field Sept. 22, 2022. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) CENTER - Nolan Jones tries to hit the ball during the bottom of the seventh inning of the Rockies final game of the season on at Coors Field on October 1, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies beat the Minnesota Twins in 11 innings 3-2 to end their season. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post) RIGHT - Brenton Doyle (9) of the Colorado Rockies slides into second base against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the bottom of the first inning of the opening Spring Training game at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, February 23, 2024. (Photos by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
LEFT – Colorado Rockies infielder Ezequiel Tovar (14), right, and Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez (48) look on from the dugout late in the 9th inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field Sept. 22, 2022. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) CENTER – Nolan Jones tries to hit the ball during the bottom of the seventh inning of the Rockies final game of the season at Coors Field on October 1, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies beat the Minnesota Twins in 11 innings 3-2 to end their season. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post) RIGHT – Brenton Doyle (9) of the Colorado Rockies slides into second base against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the bottom of the first inning of the opening Spring Training game at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, February 23, 2024. (Photos by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

One-two punch

The Arizona Diamondbacks won only 84 games last season and barely snuck into the playoffs. They were huge underdogs against the Dodgers in last year’s National League Division Series. But with starters Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen on the mound, the odds didn’t matter.

Kelly and Gallen each notched a win in the NLDS, allowing a combined two runs over 11 2/3 innings in the series’ first two games. The D-backs shocked the Dodgers in three games, rallied to beat the Phillies in seven in the NLCS, and advanced to the World Series.

The moral of the story: These days, you don’t need pitching icons like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine or John Smoltz of the 1990s Braves to sneak into the playoffs and make some noise.

In 2017-18, the Rockies had a powerful one-two punch in right-hander German Marquez and lefty Kyle Freeland. But Marquez is still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and Freeland, who turns 31 in May, is trying to rebound from a 2023 season in which he went 6-14 with a 5.03 ERA. As a group last season, Rockies starters posted a 5.91 ERA, the highest in the majors and the second-highest in franchise history.

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 30: Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) in the dugout after being pulled by manager Bud Black in the 6th inning against the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field in Denver August 30, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) in the dugout after being pulled by manager Bud Black in the 6th inning against the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field in Denver August 30, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

So, perhaps the question is, who will anchor the Rockies’ future rotation? Could it be Chase Dollander, the right-hander out of Tennessee who was the ninth overall pick in last year’s draft? Could it be right-hander Gabriel Hughes, the 10th overall pick out of Gonzaga in 2022? He had Tommy John surgery last July, so his future remains cloudy.

General manager Bill Schmidt has made trades and used draft picks to acquire a bushel of minor league arms, hoping the Rockies can strike it rich. “Somebody is going to surprise us in that group,” he insists.

Wheel and deal

Blockbuster trades are not part of the Rockies’ DNA, but they’ll have to make a smart deal, or two, or three, to become a competitive team.

Former GM Jeff Bridich is best known by Rockies fans for his feud with Nolan Arenado, which eventually led to the infamous trade that sent the star third baseman to St. Louis. But Bridich was also the architect of one of the best trades in Rockies history. In January 2016, he acquired right-hander German Marquez (an All-Star in 2021) and lefty reliever Jake McGee from Tampa Bay for outfielder Corey Dickerson and infielder Kevin Padlo.

Colorado Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt and manager Bud Black watch outfielders and infielders perform drills during Spring Training at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Colorado Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt and manager Bud Black watch outfielders and infielders perform drills during Spring Training at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Bill Schmidt, Bridich’s successor, has shown that he’s willing to make deals. Before last year’s trade deadline, Schmidt dealt veterans Mike Moustakas, C.J. Cron, Randal Grichuk, Brad Hand and Pierce Johnson to acquire several minor-league pitchers. In a trade with the Guardians in November 2022, Schmidt acquired left fielder Nolan Jones, a potential All-Star.

But is Schmidt willing and able to pull off a bold trade? Arizona GM Mike Hazen has been. In 2016, a month after he took the job, he shipped Jean Segura, Mitch Haniger and Zac Curtis to Seattle for infielder Ketel Marte and right-hander Taijuan Walker. Marte has been Arizona’s best player over the last seven years and was named the NL Championship Series MVP last fall.

In July 2019, Hazen swapped infield prospect Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the Marlins for right-hander Zac Gallen, and then watched Gallen evolve into the D-backs’ best pitcher. In December 2022, Hazen acquired young catcher Gabriel Moreno and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from the Blue Jays for outfielder Daulton Varsho. Moreno and Gurriel were key players in Arizona’s run to the 2023 World Series.

Colorado has a surplus of talented position players in the minor leagues, particularly outfielders Jordan Beck, Yanquiel Fernandez, Zac Veen, Benny Montgomery and Hunter Goodman. Schmidt has indicated he’d be open to trading a prospect if the right deal materializes. History says he might have to.

Closing time

As the Diamondbacks neared last year’s trade deadline, they had one of the shakiest bullpens in the majors. It was costing them — big time. They lost 11 of 14 games to start the second half of the season and were in danger of squandering their hot start.

So they traded for veteran right-hander Paul Sewald, shipping infielder Josh Rojas, outfielder/first baseman Dominic Canzone (Arizona’s No. 19 prospect) and infielder Ryan Bliss (No. 29) to Seattle. Arizona had not had a shutdown closer since Fernando Rodney saved 39 games for the 2017 club that won the National League wild card, but Sewald saved 13 games for the D-backs in the final two months of the season and helped lead them into the playoffs and the World Series.

The Rockies can relate. In their 31 years of existence, the Rockies have made the playoffs five times, and in each of those seasons, the bullpen was excellent. The 2007 World Series team had a bullpen ERA of 3.85. Dual closers Brian Fuentes and Manny Corpas combined for 39 saves. In 2009, Huston Street claimed 35 saves and posted a 3.06 ERA. In 2018, another playoff year, Wade Davis made 43 saves to go with a 4.13 ERA.

The Rockies hope sidearm right-hander Justin Lawrence can evolve into their closer of the future, but the bullpen is currently undergoing major reconstruction. Its 5.38 ERA was the highest in the majors last season and the fifth-highest in franchise history. Colorado’s 33 blown saves were tied with Texas for the most in the majors and were the second-most in franchise history. For a team playing at altitude, that won’t cut it.

DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 4: Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Justin Lawrence (61) is having a strong start to the season at Coors Field on May 4, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. The Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9 to 6. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Justin Lawrence (61) is having a strong start to the season at Coors Field on May 4, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. The Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9 to 6. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)

Power surge

Given that the Rockies play at Coors Field, the numbers seem almost inconceivable, but here they are. Last season, the Rockies:

• Hit 163 home runs, tied for the fourth-fewest in the majors, and struck out 1,543 times, the third-most in the majors and the most in franchise history.

• Batted .249 with a .310 on-base percentage, both the lowest in franchise history.

• Slugged .405, second-lowest in franchise history behind only the 2022 team (.398).

The Rockies haven’t had a 30-home run hitter since 2019, when Nolan Arenado hit 41, Trevor Story hit 35, and Charlie Blackmon launched 32. The hope was that veteran Kris Bryant would supply power, but that hasn’t happened yet. In his two injury-plagued seasons, Bryant has hit only 15 homers with a 2.9 home run percentage that sits below the major league average of 3.1%.

Power for this year’s team will likely come from third baseman Ryan McMahon (career-high 24 homers in 2019), left fielder Nolan Jones (20 homers in 106 games as a rookie last season), second baseman Brendan Rodgers (career-high 15 in 102 games in ’21) and possibly Elehuris Montero (11 in 85 games last season).

Power potential resides in the minors, where outfielders Jordan Beck, Yanquiel Fernandez and Zac Veen are honing their craft. Beck, who’ll begin the season at Triple-A Albuquerque, might get called up this season. Fernandez and Veen are more likely to debut in 2025.

Roadshow

In their first 31 years of existence, the Rockies have posted a winning record on the road just three times: 2009 (41-40), 2017 (41-40) and 2018 (44-38). They made the playoffs in each of those seasons.

Colorado will never dominate on the road, but to become a competitive team, it at least has to play competent baseball away from the high-altitude confines of Coors Field.

That wasn’t the case last year when the Rockies went 22-59 on the road, averaging just 3.65 runs per game vs. 5.25 at home. Their 70 road homers were tied with Cleveland for the fewest in the majors.

The home-road conundrum has long haunted the Rockies, but the 2018 team, which came one victory away from winning the National League West, provided a formula for a modicum of success. The Rockies’ pitching was solid on the road, where they posted a 4.03 ERA and served up only 83 homers. Lefty Kyle Freeland posted a 3.23 road ERA and served up just six homers across 18 road starts. Right-hander German Marquez had a 2.95 ERA and was dinged for only 11 homers in 17 road starts.

Colorado, meanwhile, hit 91 homers on the road. Not a great number, to be sure, but the Rockies got clutch hits in big moments that season. The prime example came during a mid-August sweep of the Braves in Atlanta — Colorado’s first four-game road sweep of the Braves. In that series, Trevor Story and DJ LeMahieu delivered big home runs.

The lesson learned: solid pitching and timely hits can produce road victories, even if you play for Colorado.

Kris Bryant of the Colorado Rockies hands an autographed baseball to a young fan before playing the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium March 22, 2022. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Kris Bryant of the Colorado Rockies hands an autographed baseball to a young fan before playing the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium March 22, 2022. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/22/rockies-key-mileposts-road-back-rocktober/
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