Peter Lambert will move from the Rockies bullpen to the starting rotation, manager Bud Black told reporters this evening (link via Patrick Newman of the Denver Post). He’ll step into the starting spot vacated by Kyle Freeland’s placement on the 15-day injured list. Righty Noah Davis, who was recalled from Triple-A as the corresponding move, will occupy the long relief role that Lambert had held.
The 27-year-old Lambert is no stranger to the rotation. He started 19 games as a rookie in 2019 and opened 11 of 25 appearances last season. The former second-round pick has generally struggled as a starter. He lost a spring battle with Dakota Hudson for the final spot in the Opening Day rotation, yet he has impressed out of the bullpen. Lambert has tossed 11 2/3 innings over six relief appearances, allowing just three runs. While his 10:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio isn’t particularly impressive, he has kept the ball on the ground at a huge 61.3% clip.
Freeland’s injury affords Lambert another opportunity to try to prove himself as a starter. He’ll make his first start of the season on Sunday as part of a doubleheader against the Mariners. It’s an important season for Lambert, who has quietly accrued more than three years of MLB service. He’s playing this year on a modest $1.25MM arbitration salary and will be controllable for another two seasons.
There’s clearly opportunity for Lambert to hold a spot in the rotation if he finds any level of success. Colorado’s rotation looked like arguably the worst group in MLB entering the year. It has indeed been a major problem. Their 6.33 ERA is more than a run higher than any other starting staff.
A lot of that has been because of Freeland, who entered the year as the staff ace. The veteran southpaw was tagged for 25 runs (23 earned) over his first 15 2/3 frames. His effort to figure things out will be halted for a few weeks by an elbow strain. Black told reporters that the team was hoping for a 4-6 week timeline for Freeland’s return to an MLB mound.
Man, Freeland is suppose to be the guy for the Rockies’s rotation, and he’s put up some awful numbers early on. Good luck to Peter Lambert, maybe he can channel some Highlander and get a good outing.
Maybe the governor will pardon Lambert before he’s executed.
What an awful thing to say.
Getting put in the Rockies rotation at Coors is like a death sentence. If my statement bothered you grow some skin.
I actually appreciated the humor. Mnfortmust sell.
Yipes. Ok I won’t complain about my team’s rotation. Nobody is that bad…
The Rockies being investigated by the FAA is more interesting than this story.
Probably more on the pilots and the airline for letting Hensley land the plane lol
Freeland hurt himself sliding because his coaches and teammates couldn’t be bothered to care enough to tell him to put on sliding mitts whenever he was inserted as a pinchrunner. Pathetically sad of an incompetently ran org.
Giants will trade Snell schnell to the Rockies for Lambert.
There was a time when the Rockies had Marquez/Freeland/Gray/Senzatela lined up and it looked like they were gonna do something. what a shame.
Is it pronounced Lambert or Lombear? I still have a tough time saying Son-tahn-dare instead of Santander.
Lambert like the St. Louis airport. No frilly French pronunciation for him.
There can only be one