With just a week and a half remaining on what is pacing to be one of the five worst seasons in franchise history, and with eight of their last 11 games against playoff teams from this year or last year, it’s time for the Rockies to throw in the towel and commit 100 percent to seeing if these three prospects can deliver at the Major League level.
Alternatively, there are players that need to be shelved for the rest of the season – possibly longer.
One Up: Miguel Castro
Castro was the most “Major League ready” of the three pitchers acquired in the Troy Tulowitzki trade, but struggled to start the season in Toronto. At one point in 2015, he was demoted all the way to Class A-Advanced Dunedin to work out his control issues.
He’s rebounded since joining the Rockies organization, looking stellar in Triple-A Albuquerque. Castro was recalled to the big club Sept. 1 and has struggled mightily since. In 5.1 innings pitched in five appearances, he’s allowed six earned runs, four walks and two home runs.
Castro will be competing with Jairo Diaz for the right-handed “power arm” in the Rockies pen in 2016 and beyond. Diaz has complete command of that race now, posting a 1.35 ERA for Colorado in 15 appearances since Aug. 23. Manager Walt Weiss should have seen enough of Diaz by now. It’s time to turn things over to Castro to see if he can resurrect his time at the big league level this year.