BULLPEN IDENTITY
Colorado needs consistency
In Wednesday’s 7-4 loss in the series finale against San Francisco, the Colorado bullpen was tasked with carrying the majority of the pitching burden after starter Jon Gray was yanked from the game in the fourth.
The result, manager Bud Black noted, “was variable — two good (outings), two bad” as Scott Oberg and Chris Rusin combined for three scoreless innings, while Harrison Musgrave and Jake McGee gave up three runs over two-plus innings. It was a game that epitomized the inconsistency of the bullpen as a whole this season.
The Rockies boast two shutdown relievers in setup man Adam Ottavino (0.95 ERA, 0.64 WHIP) and closer Wade Davis (National League saves leader with 18), but it’s been a mixed bag beyond those two despite the fact Colorado leads the National League with 39 holds.
And, with Ottavino on the 10-day disabled list due to a sore oblique, that means firming up the identity of the team’s most-counted on middle relievers — Mike Dunn, Bryan Shaw, Rusin, McGee, Oberg and (more sparingly) Musgrave and Brooks Pounders — is imperative.
“We all need to step up, because we’re going to have to throw the seventh, eighth innings in those higher-leverage situations where Ottavino was throwing,” McGee said. “Until he gets back, I think we’re all capable of filling that role.”
Hurting the Rockies’ bullpen so far is a high rate of inherited runners who score, as Colorado’s 38 percent clip is third worst in the N.L. Specifically, Oberg (79 percent), Shaw (46 percent) and Rusin (43 percent) have struggled, with Oberg pitching much better after a slow start.
Black said he’s aware of the issue.
“You know how we (cut down on that)? Make better pitches when we come into the game with men on base, and we’ve got to address that,” Black said. “Each guy’s an individual about how to use their stuff, making sure mentally they’re in a good frame of mind when they leave the bullpen, knowing who they’re facing.
“Has it shown up in games? No. It’s been a little bit of a hiccup for a couple guys, and we’re aware of that. We’ve got to turn that around for sure.”
Long balls have also been a problem, with Colorado relievers yielding 1.10 homers per nine innings, the fourth-worst rate in the N.L.
But Dunn, one of five Rockies relievers with at least seven years service time, said no one in the bullpen has lost confidence despite the early struggles.
“Everyone’s had their bumps and bruises throughout the season, so it’s just a matter of settling down and getting stronger from here,” Dunn said. “We have to focus one hitter at a time and get the ball to Davis as quickly as possible. That’s our recipe for success.
“We’re there to pick each other up, because whatever someone’s going through, you’ve been through it yourself. You give your advice whenever you can, and there’s a lot of communication between the eight guys, no matter if you’re right-handed or left-handed. It’s an open book down there.”