Colorado Rockies news and links for Wednesday, June 26, 2024
The 2024 Colorado Rockies have plenty of problems. Hitting has been subpar, starting pitching has been inconsistent, and perhaps the biggest problem has been the bullpen and its usage.
The Rockies were reminded of that problem during their recent homestand as they surrendered seven runs, courtesy of a grand slam and three-run homer, to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the top of the ninth to lose 11-9. While there was a controversial non-called check-swing third strike to end the game before the home run that put them ahead, the fact of the matter is that the Rockies shouldn’t have been in that position to begin with. On Sunday after a stellar outing from Kyle Freeland off the 60-day injured list and good work from a couple of bullpen arms to keep the game 1-0 at Coors Field, the Rockies saw Jalen Beeks give up multiple runs in the top of the ninth to lose the game 2-1.
The bullpen is a problem that needs to be solved.
What do the stats say?
Entering the start of the series against the Houston Astros, the Rockies bullpen has a league-worst 5.78 ERA followed by the Los Angeles Angels with a 5.16 ERA. They have thrown the 12th most innings in baseball (286 1/3) but have given up the most hits (326) and runs (197) in the league. Their 4.43 BB/9 is the fourth-highest while their 1.65 K/9 is the lowest mark in baseball. Across the board, the bullpen is considered one of the worst units in all of baseball.
The bulk of the problems have come late in the game, the typical innings the bullpen works. From the seventh inning onward, including extra innings, the Rockies have a league-worst 6.22 ERA. The next closest team? The White Sox with a 5.08 ERA. The Rockies 12 blown saves are tied for sixth-most while their 8.08 ERA is by far the highest in the league in the ninth inning alone.
Opponents are slashing .290/.369/.441 against the relief corp this season. Batting average and on-base percentage are the highest in the league by far while only the Toronto Blue Jays have a higher slugging percentage against of .442 which is sure to have changed by Wednesday morning as you’re reading this. Any way you look at it it’s easy to surmise that the bullpen hasn’t been very good as a whole as they give up too many hits, walk too many batters and strike out too few.
Now, there have been some good performances. Rookie Victor Vodnik has been a reliable arm as has Beeks for the most part. Anthony Molina has mostly worked in a long relief role when games are already out of hand but he has performed well when he’s stepped on the mound. Nick Mears has also shown flashes of brilliance and his 2.87 FIP shows that he has been better than his 6.37 ERA would suggest. Still, problems abound and Bud Black’s management of the bullpen has appeared less than ideal, a pattern of the past few years.
Bullpen management
Last season, Jake Bird and Justin Lawrence finished top 10 among relievers in innings pitched yet finished 41st and 28th respectively in games pitched meaning that they were often subject to pitching multiple innings in each appearance. While it’s not the main cause of their struggles in 2024, the overuse a season ago likely contributed to their struggles this season and some injuries as well.
There is also the habit of Black leaving a reliever in far too long. Part of it is a vicious cycle of just not having the manpower to make up for a starter failing to go deep into games or relievers not being able to throw strikes night after night, but there is no excuse for having a recently returned Lawrence throw 40-plus pitches in an inning in his first game back or to have flame-throwing Vodnik work multiple innings every night.
I can understand trying to do the best with the hand that’s been dealt, but situational management and usage of the bullpen have raised a lot of eyebrows and questions that can’t really be answered until there is a change of personnel potentially. But it’s no question that since 2020 the Rockies have regularly deployed one of the worst bullpens in the league.
What can they do?
The most obvious answer to improve the bullpen is to learn how to work with and develop relievers and make them better. We know that the Rockies are well behind most other franchises in the analytics department and they need to figure out a consistent approach that can help relievers improve their stuff.
Additionally, putting an emphasis on strikeouts out of the bullpen is key. Vodnik and Mears are prime examples of how big it is to have a reliever capable of getting punchouts with the heater, and in today’s game, everybody has arms capable of peppering the zone with 98-100 mph heaters regularly.
The team also needs to cycle in more arms to give them a look. A bullpen is so volatile that you can’t hold too tightly to any one arm unless they are one of the absolute elites. There a number of young arms in the minors itching for an opportunity to show off what they can do. Austin Kitchen was an undrafted free agent who rose through the system with flying colors and was called up to the big league team for one day, didn’t get into a game, and was designated for assignment and has now been claimed by the Miami Marlins. Meanwhile, Tyler Kinley’s 8.40 ERA continues to get prime innings late in games.
The Rockies starting rotation and general position players have seemingly stabilized going forward. There is a roadmap of success that could come into play for those two aspects of the team, yet things are so unclear for the bullpen.
As the Rockies continue to reconstruct and rebuild for the future, after this season, they will need to improve on a bullpen if they hope to find a way to contend at some point.
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Here are the 10 best college pitchers in this year’s Draft | MLB.com
The Rockies are likely to select a pitcher with the third pick of this year’s draft and they will have no shortage of options. Jim Callis highlights the top 10 college pitchers that will be available this year.
Phillies could acquire Rockies All-Star in unexpected blockbuster | The Sporting News
Since it’s trade season, there will be no shortage of articles highlighting players other teams should go for. In this article, Jackson Roberts offers the idea that the Phillies should acquire Elias Diaz because a team could always use a second catcher who can reliably hit and contribute defensively.
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On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 8, Salt Lake Bees 4
Noah Davis turned in a quality start, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings with eight strikeouts. Grant Lavigne launched his 11th home run of the season, a three-run shot against Reid Detmers in the first inning to cap off the Isotopes’ five-run first inning. Drew Romo also hit a two-run shot, his ninth home run of the season.
Double-A: New Hampshire Fisher Cats 8, Hartford Yard Goats 2
Carson Palmquist struggled in his one inning of work, giving up five runs on five hits, tossing 38 pitches in the first inning. In relief, the Yard Goats allowed just three more runs but the offense went quiet, scoring just two runs of support. Sterlin Thompson hit a solo home run for his fourth of the year while Ryan Ritter had an RBI double.
High-A: Everett AquaSox 14, Spokane Indians 7
Victor Juarez struggled through three innings, giving up eight innings over three innings. Caleb Franzen then gave up four more runs over two innings of relief. Glenallen Hill Jr. led the way offensively with three hits while Jake Blomgren, Kyle Karros, and Jose Cordova each had two hits.
Low-A: San Jose Giants 7, Fresno Grizzlies 2
Alberto Pacheco struggled on the mound, giving up six runs, five earned in 4 2⁄3 innings but the real struggle for the Grizzlies was their offense. Despite scoring two runs, the Grizzlies had just one hit courtesy of a Braylen Wimmer solo home run, his ninth long ball of the year.
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