Germán Márquez returned for just one start in 2024 to set a record before losing the rest of his season.
Welcome to the 2024 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2024. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
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No. 26, Germán Márquez: 0.0 rWAR
When right-handed starting pitcher Germán Mârquez needed Tommy John surgery last May, his career with the Colorado Rockies was at a bit of a crossroads. Márquez had a $16 million team option for 2024 with a $2.5 million buyout, and no real timeline to return. The Rockies and Márquez later agreed to a two year, $20 million contract with multiple performance and appearance escalators that would keep the 29-year-old Venezuelan pitcher in purple through the end of the 2025 season.
Márquez entered the 2024 season with a nebulous timeline. There was hope he could return before the All-Star break, but nothing was set in stone. However, he was in high spirits after his surgery and ready to attack his rehabilitation head-on.
“I have a brand new arm,” Marquez said. “I’m ready for 10 more years.”
“My arm has never felt this good,” he continued. “My elbow feels good and my shoulder is stronger from all the rehab work.”
Márquez then started ramping up his rehab in June, traveling through minor league stops both new and familiar as he pushed to return before the end of the first half of the season. It was announced that he would make his season debut in the final game before the All-Star break against the New York Mets.
On July 14th, Márquez took the mound in Queens and faced his first big league batters in over a year.
“It was like my debut, no doubt,” Márquez said about being nervous. “After I threw my first pitch, the nerves went away.”
Márquez pitched four innings and showed obvious rust. He gave up three earned runs on five hits, walked four batters, and was taken deep for a home run. However, he also struck out a very important three batters.
Those three strikeouts were important because they granted Márquez sole possession of the franchise record for strikeouts, surpassing former Rockies pitcher Jorge De La Rosa.
Germán Márquez is now the All-Time Rockies Strikeout Leader.
Congratulations, @germanmarquez5! pic.twitter.com/UyYkXtn6NG
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 14, 2024
Márquez would unfortunately see his season end just as soon as it had begun. Following his only start of 2024 he was shut down for the remainder of the season due to a stress reaction in his right elbow unrelated to his prior Tommy John surgery.
“It’s hard,” Márquez told the Denver Post. “I came back and pitched just one game, and now, to have to go back on the (injured list), it’s frustrating. But it is what it is. I’ll keep doing my thing and come back at 100%.”
Márquez is expected to have a full recovery this off-season and will be ready to join the team in Arizona for spring training. However, his time with the Rockies is once again at a crossroads. He is due $10 million in 2025 and set to be a free agent at the end of the season. Depending on how the next year goes, we could see the last of Germán Márquez in a Rockies uniform as early as next year’s trade deadline.