DENVER -- With four rotation members on the injured list -- one for the season and two others looking at lengthy absences -- the Rockies are searching everywhere for starters. They’re even looking at their own injured list.
We’ll explain.
Before being claimed by the Rockies last season and finishing the year in the bullpen -- to good reviews -- righty Dinelson Lamet flashed elite stuff as a starter with the Padres. Rockies manager Bud Black noted Sunday that “we’re contemplating the possibility” that Lamet could help the current rotation.
In the truncated 2020 season, Lamet posted a sparkling 2.09 ERA in 13 starts -- good enough to finish fourth in Cy Young Award voting and earn Second-Team All-MLB selection.
But the next two seasons brought inconsistency and pain, first in the elbow area and later pinpointed to the trapezius muscle group in the neck area.
After struggling to a 9.49 ERA in 13 appearances last season with the Padres, he was traded to the Brewers, but designated for assignment without appearing in a game. The Rockies claimed him on Aug. 5, and he showed enough promise late in the season (4.05 ERA, 29 strikeouts against 10 walks in 20 innings) that the Rockies avoided arbitration with a one-year, $5 million deal.
Then this year happened.
Lamet pitched poorly out of the ‘pen (1-1, 12.66 ERA, 13 strikeouts and 12 walks in 12 games) and landed on the injured list with lower back tightness. While out, the Rockies suggested he shorten his stride. After seeing positive results, including a return of the slider action he displayed last year, he was sent to Triple-A Albuquerque for injury rehab.
On May 16, he started -- as relievers often do on rehab assignments -- and went two innings, allowing four hits and a run. But Saturday’s second Albuquerque outing raised eyebrows -- four spotless innings with four strikeouts.
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With No. 1 starter Germán Márquez out for the season (Tommy John surgery), Antonio Senzatela (right elbow sprain) and Ryan Feltner (concussion and fractured skull) not expected back soon, and rookie Noah Davis (right elbow inflammation) working his way back, the Rockies have cast a wide net.
They jumped when Tampa Bay designated Chase Anderson for assignment. Anderson threw five scoreless innings in his first Rockies start last week and will start Monday against the Marlins.
But the rotation, which had been solid during an 11-5 stretch before Friday, struggled over the weekend at Texas. Karl Kauffman (making his Major League debut), Kyle Freeland and rookie Connor Seabold combined to yield 18 runs (14 earned) in just 10 innings. It was not the three games the Rockies needed at the start of a 17-day stretch without a day off.
Freeland yielding eight runs (five earned) on nine hits in two innings on Saturday was a surprise, given his solid season.
Kauffmann and Seabold, however, are being asked to learn on the job. But they have to earn passing grades to keep the Rockies from spiraling during this stretch.
“We have five guys in our rotation right now -- Freeland, Anderson, Seabold, Kauffmann and [Austin] Gomber,” Black said. “They’re our five. We need those guys to pitch well, like all teams do.”
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When the Reds designated veteran righty Luis Cessa for assignment on May 9 in what was seen as a surprise move, Cincinnati manager David Bell predicted he would soon land elsewhere.
MLB.com learned on Sunday that the Rockies have reached a Minor League deal with Cessa and will have him pitch at the team’s complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., before joining Triple-A Albuquerque.
Cessa, 31, who struggled to a 9.00 ERA in seven games (six starts) this season, can work as a starter or a reliever, and comes at low risk to the Rockies. The Reds are paying the bulk of his $2.65 million salary. If Cessa is called up, the Rockies will be responsible for the prorated veteran minimum.
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STATE OF STARTING PROSPECTS |
With the injuries and the fact that three rookie starters (Seabold, Kauffmann and Davis) are on the Major League club, where does the system stand in terms of prospects?
The Rockies' top two pitching prospects according to MLB Pipeline -- right-handers
Gabriel Hughes, ranked No. 5, and
Jaden Hill, No. 8 -- are at High-A Spokane, and righty
Jackson Cox, ranked 13th, is at Single-A Fresno. Lefty
Joe Rock, No. 16, is on the Double-A Hartford injured list with left shoulder inflammation but will return to start Tuesday's game.
The closest ranked starter to the Majors is righty Jeff Criswell, who is ranked 19th and is 1-4 with an 8.35 ERA in nine games (seven starts) at Triple-A Albuquerque.
Lefty Ryan Rolison, the Rockies' 2018 first-round pick, underwent left labrum surgery last year and has made two injury rehab starts at Fresno. Rolison could be in line for a debut late in the season if he is healthy and pitching well.
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On Wednesday, the Rockies celebrated an 11-6 victory over the Reds at Coors that featured no home runs -- the first time they scored that many runs without a homer at home in 11 seasons.
But the Rockies could have used any kind of big hit during their sweep at the hands of the Rangers over the weekend. In the first inning Saturday against Rangers starter Jon Gray, and the second inning Sunday against Andrew Heaney, the Rockies loaded the bases with no outs and wound up with nothing.
Coming up empty in those situations is unusual. But stringing together hits without the threat of going deep is a hard way to win. C.J. Cron leads the team with six home runs, but his last was April 30 and he went 40 homerless at-bats before sustaining back spasms on May 14 and going on the 10-day IL.
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Here are other homer dry spells:
• Ryan McMahon, 90 at-bats
• Charlie Blackmon, 50
• Elias Diaz, 26
• Kris Bryant, 45
• Randal Grichuk, 38
• Jurickson Profar, 34
Coors Field should help, but the Rockies have come up empty in the home run category in three of their last six home games.
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