The Rockies’ primary offseason goal was to beef up their depleted starting pitching corps. They moved in that direction Friday by acquiring right-hander Cal Quantrill in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians.
The Rockies hope they’re getting the same pitcher who was outstanding in 2022 when he went 15-5 with a 3.38 ERA over 186 1/3 innings (32 starts) and helped the Guardians win the American League Central title.
But Quantrill, 28, saw his ERA balloon to 5.24 with the Guardians this past season as he dealt with lingering shoulder issues. He spent two stints on the injured list and pitched just 99 2/3 innings. Still, it was a surprise when the Guardians designated him for assignment earlier this week.
“I don’t pretend to understand how the business of baseball works, but I think I’m in a real good place right now,” Quantrill said in a phone interview. “I think I probably tried to battle through the (soreness) a little bit longer than I should have last year. But the rest got me to where I needed to be. I think I finished the season strong, I’m having a good offseason and I’m excited to put together a complete season.”
Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt believes Quantrill is healthy and will fortify Colorado’s rotation.
“He pitched nearly 190 innings in ’22 when he went 15-5, and he was very effective,” said Schmidt, who added that the deal came together over the last couple of days. “He had some shoulder (problems) last season, but if you look at his last six starts, that was the best he was all year. He was pretty good and that showed us that he was healthy.”
Quantrill went 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in his six September starts, limiting hitters to a .230 average and giving up just three home runs.
The right-hander incorporated a split-finger changeup into his arsenal last year during spring training. His shoulder woes prevented him from mastering the splitter, but he said it will be an effective pitch for him in the future.
“We got to a point where I was grinding a bit with my shoulder, so I wasn’t able to incorporate it like I wanted to, but I think if you saw what I did in September, it was a valuable pitch and I used it a lot,” he said. “It added something to my arsenal — a little swing-and-miss and some weak contact. I’m pretty excited about what I can do with it.”
In exchange for Quantrill, Cleveland will receive minor league catching prospect Kody Huff. Additionally, the Rockies designated right-hander Tommy Doyle to create room on the 40-man roster.
Quantrill is entering his second year of salary arbitration and is projected to make about $6.5 million. He will be under the Rockies’ control for two more seasons.
Quantrill instantly becomes a key cog in a rotation that will be without right-handers German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela to start the 2024 season as they recover from Tommy John surgery. Left-handers Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber will be the veterans on the staff, while right-handers Peter Lambert and Ryan Feltner are expected to compete for the back-end spots in the rotation.
Riddled by injuries, the Rockies set a franchise record by using 17 different starters in 2023, two more than the 1993 and 2014 Rockies. The starters pitched to a 5.91 ERA, the highest in the majors and the second-highest in franchise history, behind the 1999 club’s 6.19 ERA. Rockies starting pitchers made just 39 quality starts, the fewest in the National League and the second-fewest in a full season in club history, ahead of only the 2012 rotation’s 27 quality starts.
Quantrill said he understands the challenge of pitching at Coors Field, where he’s posted a 6.91 ERA and served up four home runs in five games (two starts) over 14 1/3 innings.
“It’s obviously a thing, pitching at altitude, but everyone’s got to pitch there — the opposing pitcher, too,” he said. “It is what it is. I look forward to the challenge. It’s about beating the guy from the other team.
“I’ll make sure and touch base with the other guys on the staff and learn some of the tips and tricks about staying healthy and pitching well in Colorado. I see it as a challenge and not something to shy away from.”
Quantrill, a Canadian from Port Hope, Ontario, has appeared in 132 major league games and made 94 starts, going 35-23 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.262 WHIP. He is not a strikeout pitcher, as evidenced by his career rate of 6.7 Ks per nine innings, but Schmidt likes his tenacity.
“We were looking to get better on the mound,” Schmidt said. “He’s a good competitor and we are looking to get innings. We’re hoping that if he’s healthy he’ll be able to provide that. He eats innings. He’s not a big swing-and-miss guy, but he’s doing something right.”
Quantrill is the son of former major league pitcher Paul Quantrill, who pitched for 14 seasons for seven teams, mostly as a reliever. He finished his career 68-78 with a 3.83 ERA.
Cal Quantrill was the Padres’ first-round pick (eighth overall) in 2016 out of Stanford. He was traded to Cleveland as part of an eight-player deal on Aug. 31, 2020, that sent pitcher Mike Clevinger to the Padres.
Huff, 22, was a second-round Rockies pick out of Stanford in 2022. He’s hit .254 with five home runs and 41 RBIs in two seasons in the low minors.
Doyle, 27, made his debut in 2020 but a right shoulder injury kept him out of the majors until this past season when he went 0-1 with a 6.85 in 15 relief appearances.
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