The only way the Colorado Rockies will meet their expectation of making and advancing deep into the postseason this year is if they address their pitching staff.
For the club, at this point in the season, their pitching has been figured out by opponents. It’s looking like the Rockies’ pitching staff will fall short of what’s needed to get the team into the postseason.
There have been shimmers of dominance from the rotation and bullpen this season, but they are starting to become more distant. With the halfway point of the season approaching, it appears the staff’s true identity is taking shape.
The Rockies recent two horrific losses versus the San Diego Padres were disastrous and unacceptable for a team with postseason aspirations.
No team should lose a pair of games in which they score 25 runs combined, but unfortunately, the bullpen decided to come crashing down at the wrong time.
The Rockies’ bullpen was arguably their strongest facet entering the series versus San Diego. As of Friday, the bullpen’s earned run average of 3.94 ranked third in the National League. The Rockies’ bullpen had averaged 1.10 home runs per nine innings, which was also the third-lowest in the NL.
That narrative changed against the Padres, with the bullpen allowing 21 runs to score en route to two colossal collapses that prevented the Rockies from sweeping the Padres.
While Colorado finished with winning record of 4-3 on the homestand, they were in a prime position to finish 6-1. A victorious homestand is always positive, but losing out on a sweep, against a divisional rival, is devastating.
The Rockies will now embark on a critical stretch of games with series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants all on the schedule for the club’s impending nine-game road trip.
With the importance of the upcoming games, the bullpen’s negative trends are startling. The collapse has been a collaborative effort. Like the rotation, the bullpen has been a carousel of sorts this season with arms switching in and out consistently. Outside of Scott Oberg and Bryan Shaw at times, the Rockies have struggled to find consistency from within the bullpen.
Even Wade Davis has struggled mightily since returning from the injured list, pitching to a 5.21 ERA this season.
The rotation has not been much better. Peter Lambert’s two-game stretch of dominance was halted Sunday after the Padres pegged him for seven runs in three innings.
Jeff Hoffman has been inconsistent, as has Antonio Senzatela. German Marquez has struggled too, posting an ERA over 10.00 in his last three starts.
To make matters worse, Kyle Freeland has been a disaster in Triple-A Albuquerque and has shown no signs of returning to his Cy Young contending form.
Manager Bud Black has always chirped about the importance of pitching throughout the season. The Rockies will always be able to score runs at a high rate, but it will mean nothing if they cannot preserve leads.
The Rockies’ pitching staff was one of the club’s strengths last season, but after the departure of Adam Ottavino and regression of other pitchers, the staff has become a point of weakness.
Just two starters remain from the five the Rockies opened the season with, and the rotation owns a league-worst 5.85 ERA.
Colorado has a surplus of talent and potential, but it will not translate to anything if the staff continues to struggle. At this point, the Rockies’ deficiencies within the bullpen and rotation are apparent.
If the club is serious about contending this season, they need to fortify the pitching staff for the long haul. Hitters in the farm system are of limited use in their current contending window.
