The Colorado Rockies weren’t particularly good at anything in 2024. Well, they had pretty fantastic defense at third, short, and center field but beyond that, it was pretty dreary.
Their team OPS+ (league-adjusted offense) was 89, just a few points off their low mark (85) in franchise history, which was “achieved” the season prior in 2023.
As bad as that was, though, it paled in comparison to their struggles on the mound. The team ERA+ of 84 was four points lower than their previous low of 88, which they posted in three separate seasons. They had only one starter, Ryan Feltner, pitch well enough to be seen as just barely above the league average with an ERA+ of 102. Their top performer in the bullpen was rookie Victor Vodnik at just 108.
This is both very bad news… but also good news.
The bad news is obvious here but the good news is that, one would think, they’ve hit rock bottom and are ready to bounce back. And it’s not just the universal law of big numbers and averages that tells us that.
It’s tempting to look at the current roster and wonder how the rotation and ‘pen can truly improve. On paper, you’ve got a ton of question marks and very little certainty. The most consistent hurler for about seven seasons now has been Kyle Freeland but he has also been trending downward.
Feltner, along with lefty Austin Gomber, have been decent but not exciting so far and both have the potential to grow a bit this season but few believe that either is an ace in waiting. German Marquez used to be and his comeback could prove to be incredibly inspiring or remarkably disappointing. The same could be said for Antonio Senzatela.
It wouldn’t be fair to place the entire burden of growth for the rotation on the pair of returning injured righties but a lot of projections expecting this team to pitch as poorly as they have the last two years are missing the “additions” of these two long-time Rockies.
Then there’s the battle for the fifth spot, which is where things get really interesting.
The Rockies have told us that top prospect, Chase Dollander, absolutely has a chance to win a place in the rotation on Opening Day. This is yet more evidence that GM Bill Schmidt is more comfortable moving prospects through the system quickly than his predecessor was.
If he does win the job, it’s likely to be a bumpy ride for a bit and expectations should be managed accordingly. As explosive as his stuff is, he has only thrown 118 innings of professional baseball and some bouts with his own command this Spring Training show that there is plenty of room for more polish.
It may end up being the wiser move to carry Bradley Blalock to start the year. He’s had a nice and steady spring, showed promise in a short stint at the end of 2023, and might easily transition into a bullpen role should Dollander force the issue.
And he may not be the only one in that position.
We haven’t seen a ton of Carson Palmquist or Sean Sullivan yet in 2025 but all signs point to them also knocking on the door. Solid starts in Triple-A for both could, and almost certainly will, lead to a changing of the guard midway through the season.
Oddly enough, there are several exciting options at that point that the Rockies haven’t had in quite a while. One would be to move some starters into the bullpen another could be to trade some for younger, more cost-controlled players.
Perhaps the most intriguing option, though, would be for the team with the toughest pitching environment in baseball to get experimental. Again. But better this time.
Some of you will probably remember that long before the Opener became a real position in MLB, the Rockies played around with something they called the “piggyback” system. Mark Knudson breaks down how it can work in detail here.
By doing this, they could pace out Marquez and Senzatela, reducing the strain from potentially lingering injuries. It could give Freeland a bit of a break. He must be tired from years of carrying this rotation. Rather than making guys like Felnter or Blalock into one-inning relievers, they could be expected to go two or three and now you have solid veterans rather than journeymen taking the ball in the middle innings at Coors Field.
There are a few intriguing younger arms that could also find their way into a more traditional bullpen. Jaden Hill and Zach Agnos are turning heads right now. Angel Chivilli and Luis Peralta have a lot of potential. Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen have even more.
So, despite the fact that the Rockies didn’t exactly go shopping for new pitchers this offseason, you are set to see quite a few new names in 2025. And when the new name is on the back of the jersey of the guy standing on the mound, that makes all the difference.
