Colorado Rockies news and links for Thursday, April 10th, 2025
Stop me if you’ve heard this: Chase Dollander is here.
This is, of course, a gigantic deal for Rockies fans that have eagerly awaited the arrival of the No. 1 PuRP. The 6’2” righthander has been described as possessing latent talent rivaling that of the game’s absolute best hurlers, but his pitching repertoire is only one aspect of his ascendant ability.
After all, it’s no small feat to make your big league debut during Opening Weekend, with much of the organization’s hopes and dreams placed squarely on your shoulders. We tend to view professional athletes as unflinching creatures of habit, but what about a young star getting his first crack at the Show?
Former Rookie of the Year and MVP Kris Bryant knows a thing or two about expectations. He says that Dollander is expertly equipped to handle the high pressure.
“I got to know Chase a little bit in spring training,” Bryant said prior to Dollander’s first outing on Sunday. “That’s just who he is. I don’t think any moment is going to be too big for him. I don’t think he’s going to worry about altitude or any prospect status or expectations. He’s just gonna go out there and pitch, and he’s got a really good head on his shoulders.”
Bryant isn’t alone in his praise of the young righty. Fellow pitcher Seth Halvorsen, himself enjoying an excellent start to the season, had similar views on the so-called “ace of the future.”
“For (Chase), it’s just another outing,” Halvorsen opined. “When there’s a hitter in the batter’s box, it’s about going out there and competing with pitches, one at a time.”
Rudimentary knowledge? Maybe, but it’s crucial that these newly-arrived players try to slow down and do what got them to the majors in the first place. Obvious or not, that’s sage advice.
Following Dollander’s debut, which saw the top prospect toss five innings of four-run ball, manager Bud Black echoed the sentiments of his players — namely, that Dollander shows maturity beyond his years.
“Maybe he tried to do a bit too much,” Black said. “But overall, I thought it was a good showing for him. Would he like to do better than five innings and four runs? Probably, and he will because he’s talented. But he did what he needed to do today to get the win — to be the winning pitcher in a major league game, which is what I stress to all our starters, especially in this ballpark. This is a tough place to pitch, as you know, but if you are determined and you have the will to be the starting pitcher in this ballpark, you’re going to be fine.”
Many a story has explained the strenuous nature of pitching at altitude, but Black believes that Dollander is uniquely equipped to handle the job. When asked about pitchers developing a slow and steady heartbeat, Black had this to say about his new starter:
“On these days, I sort of… let the player do their thing. I don’t think it’s a good thing to over-coach him or give him too much information, but in between innings, he was fine. He had a good look in his face, a good look in his eye. He was composed, a clear thinker.”
Even after allowing first inning a home run? Wouldn’t that rattle a newbie? Not this one.
“It didn’t phase him,” Black said. “He knew that he missed his location. It was supposed to be down away, he threw it up and in. But it didn’t phase him.”
The mental toughness that Dollander exhibited in his first start clearly made an impact on both his teammates and his manager. With his first foray into MLB behind him, the young righty can now focus on his development at the game’s highest level. The rest of the Colorado Rockies appear to be just as excited for his future as we are, and can’t wait to see how he continues to mature and evolve.
Bryant sums it up nicely:
“He just continues to get better. I think he’s got a really good, really bright career in front of him.”
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On the Farm
Triple-A: Sugar Land Space Cowboys 3, Albuquerque Isotopes 2
Albuquerque’s pitching staff did a solid job of keeping the game close, but the ‘Topes weren’t able to find the key hit to propel them to victory over the Space Cowboys on Wednesday.
The Isotopes recorded twice as many hits as their opponents, but found themselves 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, their offense solely the work of home runs from Jordan Beck and Yanquiel Fernandez. While Bradley Blalock’s two runs allowed in the first inning put them in a hole early, Karl Kauffman’s 3 1⁄3 scoreless frames kept the game close before Sugar Land took the lead in the seventh inning, never looking back en route to the win.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 4, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 0
Nothing like a shutout! The trio of Blake Adams, Sam Weatherly, and Collin Baumgartner were nails last night as they combined to toss seven innings of three-hit, no-run ball.
Adams in particular showed out in one of the best starts of the early season as he tossed five frames, allowing no hits and walking just one batter while striking out 11(!!!). Talk about shoving.
Offensively, Bryant Betancourt led the way with a two-hit game, while Cole Carrigg tripled and scored a run.
High-A: Vancouver Canadians 8, Spokane Indians 4
Spokane’s bullpen faltered in the game’s middle innings, putting Vancouver in prime position to claim the dub on Wednesday.
Stu Flesland III allowed five runs in his two innings of work, while Hunter Mann allowed three in the same amount of time. That was enough to sink the Indians despite valiant multi-hit efforts from Aidan Longwell, Cole Messina, and Jared Thomas (who also doubled).
Single-A: Fresno Grizzlies 7, Inland Empire 66ers 5
The Grizzlies offense came to play and the pitching staff survived a late rally as they claimed victory over the 66ers. Royner Hernandez led the way with two hits, including a double, and three RBIs.
Lebarron Johnson’s five inning, two-run start was solid, though Fidel Ulloa encountered trouble in the eighth inning when he allowed three runs. Despite the late surge, the Grizzlies buckled down as Luke Taggart and Nathan Blasick recorded the game’s final three outs to end the contest.
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On the internet
Do you want more quotes about exciting young stars? Of course you do. Read about how phenom Zac Veen’s approaching his first few days in the big leagues, and what he’s most looking forward to.
Wednesday’s loss was one of the more brutal in recent history, but if there’s anything to look back on fondly, it was the interaction between the Peralta brothers before the contest. Pat Graham delves into why they’re so tight and what brought them to the game’s highest level together.
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