Rockies’ right-hander Hoffman pitching for his big-league life

Jeff Hoffman is a tall, tantalizing tease.

The Rockies’ 6-foot-5, 220pound right-hander throws a 9495 mph fastball, spins a gorgeous curve and seems forever poised to take the next step. And yet Hoffman owns a 6.11 ERA in 52 big-league games.

All of which means the 27-year old has reached a career crossroads. He’s competing for the fifth spot in the Rockies rotation this spring. But he’s out of minor-league options and whether he makes the big league team largely depends on his Cactus League performance.

“Jeff is now to the point in his career where it’s becoming apparent that needed consistency has to show up,” manager Bud Black said Thursday.

Hoffman, the ninth overall player selected in the 2014 draft, was the centerpiece of the July 2015 trade that sent Rockies star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto. But he’s never blossomed into the pitcher Colorado hoped he’d become.

In Wednesday’s Cactus League game against Texas, Hoffman teased again, this time using a more simplified approach. Pocketing his inconsistent slider, he relied primarily on his fastball and curve to throw two scoreless innings, a stark contrast from his first two spring appearances that added up to a 9.82 ERA.

“Going into the last couple outings, we had the plan in place, but it was a little bit too much for those first two outings,” said Hoffman, who also has shortened his delivery in hopes of better pitch command. “The difference was simplifying and doing the things I know I’m good at.”

What Hoffman is really good at is throwing a curveball. Batters managed just a .151 average against the pitch last season, according to Statcast.

“I feel like I’m at my best when I can land the (curve) in the zone early, then make them honor the fastball,” Hoffman said. “Then we can mess around; if we want to go down in the zone with the

curveball late. That’s where we need to be. Use the curve in the zone to get ahead and then use it as a punchout (pitch) later.”

As Black put it: “He has great spin on his curveball and it’s got a huge break to it. It’s a big-league weapon.”

Hoffman’s fastball has plenty of life but he’s had trouble locating it. Last season, his four-seam fastball was pounded for a .323 batting average, .741 slugging percentage and 18 home runs, according to Statcast.

His inconsistent fastball command was the primary reason why he shortened his delivery, junking the sweeping arm motion he’d used his entire career.

“From a coaching standpoint, you never mandate or give a directive to change the way your arm works, your natural throwing motion,” Black said. “(But) we’ve seen it done. It’s happened before, and in Jeff’s case he felt he needed to do this for his career.”

Hoffman is simplifying his pitch selection, too, relying primarily on his fastball and curve, with an occasional changeup and slider in the mix.

“It’s a matter of putting it all together,” Black said. “We have seen stretches of starts where Jeff would pitch three or four good innings and then one inning would get away from him. So, all of us, Jeff included, are trying to get to the point of consistency and efficiency for him to be a major league starter — day in and day out. … He definitely has the stuff to do that.”