The Rockies head into the season’s final quarter with a decidedly different roster.
On Friday, the club released veteran catcher Elias Diaz and promoted catching prospect Drew Romo from Triple-A Albuquerque. Romo will likely make his major league debut on Saturday when he catches veteran Kyle Freeland in a game against the Padres at Coors Field.
Also, the club removed left-handed reliever Lucas Gilbreath from the 60-day injured list and added him to its active roster. In another move, the Rockies optioned struggling right-handed reliever Riley Pint to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Romo, 22, knew there was a good chance he would make his Rockies debut this season, but he tried not to peek ahead too much.
“I was thinking about it a little bit because I knew I was playing good baseball, so I just tried to keep it up,” he said. “But also, you try not to think about it and concentrate on winning games in Albuquerque.”
General manager Bill Schmidt said the time was right for Romo, the 35th overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Woodlands High School (Texas).
“We view this as part of our moving forward with Drew,” Schmidt said. “We think he’s ready. He’s had a pretty good year and he learned and he grew. It’s tough when you’re a 22-year-old kid and you’re catching guys at Triple-A; guys who were playing Little League when you were born. He’s handled himself well, but there’s still a lot to learn.”
Telling the popular Diaz that he was cut loose was painful for Rockies manager Bud Black, but it was necessary as the team continued its youth movement.
“As I’ve maintained for the last couple of months, the moves we’ve been making shouldn’t come as a surprise,” Black said. “Today is another example in bringing up one of our young players, in Romo.
“That being said, moving on from a guy like Elias Diaz was difficult in a lot of ways. He was a big part of this team for four years. We saw him grow as a player, and he made a strong commitment to get better when we got him from Pittsburgh.
“But more important is the person. What a good guy. Great teammate, big heart, cared about his teammates, and cared about this organization. That’s the part that gets you emotional.”
Diaz, 33, was the MVP of the 2023 All-Star Game and has been a consistently strong performer for the Rockies, as well as a team leader. But lingering injuries to both of his calves have plagued him much of the season and started to affect his performance. Although Diaz is hitting .270, he has posted a modest .693 OPS and has slugged only five home runs, the last one on June 5 vs. Cincinnati.
Romo had a breakout season at Triple-A, slashing .297/.339/.499 with 14 homers and nine doubles. He’ll share playing time with veteran Jacob Stallings, though Stallings is considered Colorado’s No. 1 catcher.
Romo made huge strides behind the plate this season and in his pregame preparation.
“I’m most proud of my (improvement) in the game-planning piece and gaining the trust of the older pitchers in Albuquerque,” Romo said. “Just learning how to read swings, study scouting reports and write game reports, stuff like that, is probably where I made the most strides.”
Added Black: “There is going to be a lot of growth here and a strong education for the next six weeks. I expect Drew to learn a lot. You hear me say this a lot. There’s a big difference between a major league game and a Triple-A game. I expect him to learn and be a student and I hope the education happens fast.”
For Gilbreath, the journey back to the majors has been steep as he battled elbow and shoulder injuries. His last appearance in the majors was nearly two years ago, on Aug. 26, 2022.
His return gives Black a left-hander in his bullpen. Since trading left-hander Jalen Beeks to Milwaukee last month, Colorado’s bullpen has been stocked only with right-handers.
“Lucas has turned the corner, physically, and that’s what we are most excited about,” Black said. “He potentially could be a big part of our bullpen this season and moving forward.”
Gilbreath, 28, a graduate of Broomfield’s Legacy High School, underwent Tommy John surgery during spring training in 2023. He appeared close to returning this spring but began feeling shoulder discomfort. The shoulder injury did not require surgery but took months to heal.
In 10 minor league rehab games (nine innings) at High-A Spokane and Triple-A Albuquerque, Gilbreath posted an 8.00 ERA and 1.737 WHIP, with 12 strikeouts and eight walks.
Gilbreath made his major league debut in 2021 and was an effective reliever for two seasons before his injuries, going 5-2 with a 3.78 ERA over 94 appearances.
“I was really encouraged by what I saw from Lucas as he gained service time,” Black said. “I really thought he was on his way to being a really dependable late-inning pitcher. And then he got hurt. The best-laid plans sometimes get derailed and that’s what happened to Lucas.”
Pint has struggled in his limited time in the majors. He gave up a grand slam to Eugenio Suarez in the sixth inning of Arizona’s 11-4 win over the Rockies on Wednesday at Chase Field. Pint, the fourth overall pick in 2016, hit two batters and walked another before Suarez clobbered a first-pitch slider for the slam.
Pint’s inability to command his fastball allowed Suarez to sit on the slider. In his limited time this season (four games, 3 1/3 innings), Pint has a 21.60 ERA.
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Originally Published: August 16, 2024 at 2:02 p.m.
