Second-half success needs to start on the mound
In a game predicated on pitching, the Rockies’ first-half performance on the mound has them quickly zooming toward the abyss of playoff irrelevancy.
Unless, that is, they can find a way to turn things around.
“The rotation and the bullpen have both been too variable,” manager Bud Black said.
So, a new pitching formula is in order for the second half — or at the very least, a slightly amended formula with much better execution. Colorado has the worst ERA (5.16) in the National League and the ERA of its rotation (5.57) is the worst in baseball.
To begin, the Rockies’ starters must go deeper into games. Colorado led the National League in innings pitched by starters a year ago. This year they’ve dropped to eighth, a mess that includes opening day starter Kyle Freeland being demoted to Triple-a while fellow southpaw Tyler Anderson is likely shelved for the season after knee surgery. (Freeland was called up Saturday night in an attempt to jump-start the rotation).
And with just 28 quality starts to the team’s credit heading into the weekend — second fewest in the NL — Black stressed the need for the rotation to take the pressure off a bullpen that has been taxed. Colorado’s relievers started the season well but crumbled once the workload built up since June 1, with a 5.20 ERA since then.
“It’s very important to get more innings (from starters),” Black said. “We’ve got to pick that part of our team up here if we’re going to get to where we want to be. Our starting pitching has to improve collectively and then (correspondingly) our bullpen has to improve, collectively, to a man. Because offensively, we’re doing our part.”
The Colorado arms are getting an Nl-best 5.51 runs per game of support, and the Rockies’ offense has found its rhythm following a poor April. For the rotation to attain the reliable, six-plus-inning consistency Black seeks, righthanders German Marquez and Jon Gray must continue to lead the way. Freeland returning to last year’s form would be a huge help.
Marquez has been terrific on the road and shaky at Coors Field (5.73 ERA). Gray needs to continue to build off the positive, opportunistic mindset that’s enabled him to flush last year’s underwhelming performance from his memory.
“I’m hungry to get those six, seven, eight innings,” Gray said. “I’m not putting pressure on myself at the beginning of the game — this is same old baseball with executing pitches — but big-picture, you know it does a lot for our chances when we’re going deep into the game. German and I both have to be even better about that (in the second half ).”
But the second-half pitching formula can’t hinge on two arms alone. Someone else has to emerge as a stabilizer in the rotation: whether that’s Antonio Senzatela shoring up his inconsistent outings, Peter Lambert settling in and surging as a promising rookie or the recalibration of Freeland.
If Colorado can get at least three starters in a groove, Black will then need to rely on a couple constants out of the bullpen.
Scott Oberg (club-best 1.24 ERA) has to continue to be a rock, while fellow-right hander Wade Davis must re-find some semblance of his 2018 form as a closer. With those two anchoring the back end, Chad Bettis’ role as a reliable middle innings-eater is imperative. Veterans Bryan Shaw and Jake Mcgee continue to struggle in setup roles.
“As a whole, we’ve had a few hiccups here and there, and that’s been everybody from top to bottom,” Oberg said. “But we know we’re going to be called on to get those pivotal outs down the stretch of the playoff race, and we have a close, level-headed bunch out there … We still have confidence in everyone in this ‘pen when they take the ball to throw quality strikes and get outs.”
Younger arms such as Jairo Diaz, Jesus Tinco and Carlos Estevez — plus the promise of Triple-a relievers such as Yency Almonte and yet-to-debut Ben Bowden — could also be a factor if the bullpen struggles continue. With baseball on a historic home run pace and teams combining for 13.8 runs a game at Coors Field, grit and reliability are more important than stats.
“We’ve hit a couple of bumps in the road this year as a staff overall,” Gray said. “But you’re going to see a lot more games where we’re going to anchor down and really stick it out for the team. We know we have the offense to compete, now it’s just a matter of stepping up on the pitching end.”