The Colorado Rockies received the unfortunate news earlier in the week that pitcher, and presumed ace of the starting staff, Jon Gary would be sidelined for roughly 4-6 weeks with a broken foot.
The injury stemmed from a minor injury to Gray’s big toe back in Spring Training. The flamethrowers is expected to miss roughly a month, Nick Groke of The Denver Post reports.
Colorado lost starter Chad Bettis during Spring Training to testicular cancer, making the loss of Gray much more critical. With an average age of 24.8, the Rockies young pitching staff have yet another hole to plug. Gray has been placed on the 10-day Disabled List, meaning the Rockies will need to find somebody to fill the void in the starting rotation for the coming weeks.
Presumed candidates include minor-leaguers Jeff Hoffman, German Marquez, and Harrison Musgrave. Also, long-reliever Chris Rusin is another arm to keep an eye on for a potential replacement. Rusin started seven games for Colorado last year and was the team’s go-to spot starter.
So, with solid prospects at the helm, the Rockies need to choose an arm to lock down the rotation until Gray returns to the mound.
Jeff Hoffman
Hoffman is easily the most intriguing of the Rockies options. The catalyst of the trade that sent Troy Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays, Hoffman is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the sport.
That said if Hoffman wants a spot in the rotation he is going to need to earn it. Just because he’s the club’s top pitching prospect, and is projected to be a force at the Major League level does not mean the Rockies will hand him the job.
Hoffman watched as fellow youngsters Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela impressed in Spring Training. The solid performance was enough for manager Bud Black to give Freeland and Senzatlea (23 and 22 years-old) the nod over the 24-year-old Hoffman.
Hoffman has struggled so far in Triple-A this season, owning an ERA of 4.80 in just 15 innings pitched. While he certainly has some of the tools to pitch at the Major League level right now, it may be best for Hoffman to stay down in the minors in an attempt to keep his regiment consistent, and also continue to work on some of the flaws he has yet to iron out in his game.
The Rockies are expected to contend for a spot in the postseason this year, so giving Hoffman ample time to perfect his craft for the long haul could be in Colorado’s best interest.
German Marquez
German Marquez is an attractive candidate for the job. Marquez made the professional roster out of Spring Training as a long-reliever, but with Chris Rusin returning from injury to occupy the role, Marquez was optioned to Triple-A.
Having bounced around between the minors and the majors, Marquez is one of the more intriguing options to take over as Gray returns from injury. His familiarity with both pitching as a starter and reliever for the Rockies should only help his case as decision looms.
Marquez has logged over 400 innings in his minor career, posting a record of 25-33 with an ERA of 3.61 and a WHIP of 1.23.
Still just 22-years-old, the organization thinks Marquez can and will be a starter for the club long-term. Now may be the best time for Marquez to get his feet wet with starting games at the Major League level for the Rockies in anticipation for what the future potentially holds.
Harrison Musgrave
Musgrave is a longshot to make the rotation, but he is certainly one option the Rockies would be wise to explore. Unlike the other two candidates, Musgrave’s promise in not as high as the others; however, he does have the pitching to be a solid contributor to Colorado. He has flirted with sustained success but does not have the electricity on his pitches to put him over-the-top.
Scouts have penciled Musgrave in as a potential 4th or 5th starter later on his career. While nothing jumps off the stat sheet with Musgrave, he could be a solid, low-key addition for the Rockies staff that is already flooded with youth and pressure to perform.
Since none of his pitches are overpowering, his command is essential for success. At 25-years-old, Musgrave has had ample time to develop firm control of his pitches which will make or break his career if he makes it the big leagues.
As it stands, Colorado is off to a red-hot 10-5 start to the season which is the best in the sport. Musgrave’s simple pitching style could boast well for the Rockies as they await the return of Gray.
While a fair amount of work is needed to polish Musgrave’s game, his maturity has shined as he’s endured the journey of being a minor league pitcher. He is also a southpaw, so he could potentially add more variety to the rotation.
These three pitchers in addition to Rusin would bring different styles and attributes to the Rockies bullpen. That said, none of these arms will amount to what Gray can put forth for Colorado; however, this is an opportunity for some of the rox most valued prospects to make a lasting impression on the coaches, players, and front office of the Rockies organization.