Decimated by injuries and wrecked by poor performance, the Rockies’ starting rotation needs to be rescued.
But as the second half of the season opens Friday night vs. the Yankees at Coors Field, the cavalry is not rushing in. There is no knight in shining armor riding in on his white steed from the minor leagues.
The Rockies did make a roster addition Thursday, signing free-agent right-hander Chris Flexen to a minor-league deal. The plan is for Flexen, 29, to initially pitch for Triple-A Albuquerque and then likely join the Rockies’ rotation. But Flexen, who was designated for assignment by Seattle earlier this month, would be an emergency, stop-gap starter.
With four of its five starters out with injuries, the rotation’s ERA stands at 6.47, the worst in the majors and on pace to be the worst in franchise history. The latest casualty is veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland, who dislocated his right shoulder while diving for a ball in Sunday’s game at San Francisco. The Rockies have not said how much time Freeland will miss but he’ll almost certainly be placed on the 15-day injured list.
The last original starter left standing is lefty Austin Gomber, who takes the mound Friday night. After a very rocky start to the season, Gomber has been Colorado’s best starter for the past month. Over his last five starts, Gomber is 3-2 with a 3.99 ERA with 22 strikeouts vs. three walks.
To review: the Rockies have lost right-hander German Marquez to season-ending Tommy John surgery; right-hander Ryan Feltner to a skull fracture; right-hander Antonio Senzatela to a sprained right elbow; and Freeland to his shoulder injury.
So what’s next? The current rotation is comprised of right-hander Connor Seabold (1-6, 6.65 ERA in 19 games, 12 starts), right-hander Chase Anderson (0-4, 7.66 in 10 starts) and Gomber (7-7, 6.40 in 18 starts).
The next, immediate option could be right-hander Peter Lambert, who was optioned to Triple-A after making a spot start for the Rockies on July 1. The original plan was for him to make about three starts at Triple-A and build up his pitch count before rejoining the Rockies’ rotation.
Lambert, who underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2020, has struggled to return from his elbow injury, so Colorado plans to limit Lambert to 100-120 innings this season. He’s pitched 45 1/3 innings so far (34 1/3 with the Rockies, 17 with the Isotopes).
“It’s the smartest thing to do,” Lambert said of the innings limit. “I would rather be pitching in September than shut down in August.”
The Rockies are hopeful that Senzatela, who’s begun throwing bullpens, will return in early August. He missed the first month of the season while recovering from the ACL surgery he underwent last August, but he made just two starts before hurting his elbow.
Flexen posted a 7.71 ERA with Seattle, leading the club to drop him. He appeared in 17 games, including four starts. He was initially tabbed as the Mariners’ long reliever but was called into starting duty when Robbie Ray was lost for the season after undergoing elbow surgery.
Another option could be right-hander Noah Davis, but he proved he wasn’t ready to be a big-league starter earlier this season when he went 0-2 with a 10.61 ERA and 2.250 WHIP over five games (four starts). Davis went on the injured list with right elbow inflammation at the end of April. He’s 0-3 with a 5.97 ERA in eight starts at Triple-A.
Friday’s pitching matchup
Yankees LHP Carlos Rodon (0-1, 3.38 ERA) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (7-7, 6.40)
6:40 p.m. Friday, Coors Field
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
You wouldn’t know it by his sky-high ERA, but Gomber has pitched well of late and is the most stable arm in Colorado’s injury-riddled rotation. The left-hander pitched a solid game in San Francisco last Friday, limiting the Giants to two earned runs on five hits and no walks while striking out one across six innings. Over his last five starts, Gomber is 3-2 with a 3.99 ERA and 22 strikeouts vs. three walks. Rodon, who signed a six-year, $162 million free-agent contract over the winter, has made just one start this season. That came last Friday vs. the Cubs when he pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs while giving up four hits. Rodon was expected to pair with Gerrit Cole to give the Yankees a formidable one-two punch, but he battled a forearm strain during spring training and dealt with back discomfort over the past couple of months.
Pitching probables
Saturday: Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (4-6, 4.40) at Rockies RHP Connor Seabold (1-6, 6.65), 6:10 p.m., ATTRM
Sunday: Yankees RHP Gerrit Cole (9-2, 2.82) at Rockies RHP Chase Anderson (0-4, 6.89), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: Off day
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