The Rockies had a rough 2019 season where they finished 71-91 While they had a winning record at home, Colorado had an abysmal 28-53 record on the road, which prevented them from making the playoffs.
For 2020, the team will look largely the same. Ian Desmond has opted not to play, so Matt Kemp was signed, but for the most part the Rockies had a quiet offseason. If they wish to make the playoffs again, they’ll need a better effort from their starting pitchers.
Here is a look at what the Rockies’ pitching rotation could look like if the season isn’t canceled due to COVID-19.
1) German Marquez
Marquez has been solid, yet inconsistent in his career so far for the Rockies. He has pitched for four seasons with a 38-24 record. His career ERA of 4.32 is a little high, but considering he plays in a hitter’s ballpark it is reasonable.
Last season, Marquez went 12-5 with a 4.76 ERA. He was able to pitch in 174 innings with 28 starts for Colorado. He’ll want to cut down his ERA in 2020, but Marquez has the stuff to lead the pitching staff this season.
His postseason record is 0-1 in one start for the Rockies in 2018. He has a 3.60 career postseason ERA. Marquez will be called upon if the Rockies make the postseason.
2) Jon Gray
Gray has been with Colorado for five seasons, making it two career-long Rockies at the top of the rotation. He has a career record of 43-33 and an ERA of 4.46. He has had an up and down career, but can generally be relied upon.
In 2019, Gray had an 11-8 record with a 3.84 ERA. He pitched in 150.1 innings, which was the third time in his career that he broke the 150-inning mark. If he can keep his ERA under 4.00 again, the Rockies could be a dangerous team, given how good their offense can be.
Although he has postseason experience with the team in 2017, it wasn’t great. Gray gave up seven runs, four of them earned, in 1.1 innings pitched for an ERA of 27.00. He’ll have to do better if the Rockies make the playoffs in 2020.
3) Kyle Freeland
Another career-long Rockies pitcher is Kyle Freeland. He has spent three years with the team, garnering mixed results. Freeland has a 31-29 career record and a 4.14 ERA. His inconsistencies can be frustrating, but he has shown to have the potential to be a quality pitcher.
In 2019, Freeland had a down year. He posted a 3-11 record with a 6.73 ERA in 104.1 innings pitched. He had a left groin strain near the end of the season, but was already having a bad season before that point. Freeland needs to bounce-back and stay healthy in 2020.
He pitched for the team in the 2018 Wild Card Game for his only postseason appearance. Freeland gave up no runs in 6.2 innings of work, but did not receive the win.
4) Antonio Senzatela
Senzatela hasn’t always pitched well in his three years as a Rockies pitcher, but he has a winning record in his career. He has a 5.33 career ERA with a 27-22 record. Senzatela pitched better in the start of his career than he has recently.
The 2019 season was not pleasant for Senzatela. He went 11-11, almost miraculously, with a 6.71 ERA. Senzatela was able to pitch 124.2 innings in 2019. The extra time off and the shortened season may just be what Senzatela needs to get back on track.
5) Chi Chi Gonzalez
The fifth spot in the rotation is most likely going to go to Chi Chi Gonzalez or Jeff Hoffman. Both have had rough starts to their careers, but Gonzalez has a lower career ERA of 4.29. He spent time with the Rangers through 2016, then resurfaced in the majors last year with the Rockies.
There are plenty of question marks surrounding him, but he showed last season that he could be the fifth man in the rotation. He went just 2-6, but his 5.29 ERA is likely better than anything else the Rockies could put out there.
He has one postseason pitching performance under his belt for the Rangers. Gonzalez came on in relief and pitched 1.2 innings, giving up one run.
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