The Rockies are coming off a 119-loss season, which stands as one of the worst seasons in modern baseball history. The team’s starting pitching was a key factor in that poor performance. In 2025, Rockies starters had a 6.65 ERA, a league-worst 7.4% K-BB rate, and allowed a league-worst 1.79 HR/9. It is therefore unsurprising that Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta identified the rotation as “an era of focus” for his newly-hired front office.
“We would like to add some stability to the rotation,” said DePodesta in a phone interview with Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. “I think that’s obvious … given our current situation.” He went on to say that the team will consider trading from their bullpen and outfield depth to acquire starters, while also counting on improvement from existing starters. Referring to his coaching staff, DePodesta said, “Given the sheer manpower we have allocated to the pitching side, there’s definitely room for improvement with the players we have.”
The comments come across as generic boilerplate. As is well-known, Rockies pitchers have the challenge of playing half the season at high altitude. Dating back to 2021, the club’s starters have posted a league-worst 5.60 ERA and 28.3 fWAR, including a mere 1.5 fWAR in 2025. Its top starters this year by innings pitched were Kyle Freeland, Germán Márquez, and Antonio Senzatela. Freeland was once an above-average starter but logged a 4.98 ERA in 162 2/3 innings this year, including a 5.75 mark at home. Though he remains onboard as the nominal “ace,” he will play 2026 at age 33 and is unlikely to recover his old form.
Márquez had a nightmarish 6.70 ERA in 126 1/3 innings in 2025, with a well-below-average strikeout rate of 14.0%. He is now a free agent and unlikely to be re-signed. Meanwhile, Senzatela’s 11.8% strikeout rate was a career-low. He was demoted to the bullpen for the last month of the year and won’t be guaranteed a rotation spot in 2026. Chase Dollander and Tanner Gordon were the only other Rockies starters to reach 60 innings this year, and they both had ERAs in the mid-6.00s and struggled with the long ball.
Given those struggles, it’s hardly a surprise that DePodesta wants to make upgrades. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Colorado is an unlikely destination for free agent starters who do not want to see their stats decline from pitching at Coors. Indeed, the only major-league free agent starting pitchers to sign with the Rockies since 2021 are Chad Kuhl, José Ureña, and Dakota Hudson. All three signed for one year and were reclamation projects at best. Ureña, whose $3.5MM contract in November 2022 was the highest value of the bunch, only made five starts for the Rockies in 2023 before being released that April.
The team faces a similar problem in attempting to add starting pitchers via trade. Potential partners can use the Rockies’ home-field disadvantage and need for pitching to gain leverage in trade talks. Dating back to 2021, most of the Rockies’ starting pitching acquisitions have been low-level trades and cash transactions. Arguably the highest-profile acquisition was that of Cal Quantrill in November 2024. He threw 186 1/3 innings with a 3.38 ERA for the Guardians in 2023 but struggled badly in 2024 and was recently designated for assignment when he came to Colorado. With a disadvantage in trade talks, the club is forced to lean heavily on internal options for starting pitching.
While teams obviously want to get all the value they can from their existing players, the current rotation led by Freeland doesn’t inspire much confidence. For his part, DePodesta expressed confidence in his new pitching coaches, but also acknowledged that internal improvement is only part of the equation. A trade involving outfielders or relievers might be difficult to pull off. Center fielder Brenton Doyle is unlikely to be traded, while top relievers Jimmy Herget and Juan Mejia were good in 2025 but have minimal track records otherwise. The team could give young lefty Carson Palmquist a bigger look, but he struggled badly with control and home runs in his debut this year. Meanwhile, the Rockies have two prospects among MLB.com’s Top 100 list, neither of whom are pitchers.
What do you think is the best way for the Rockies to improve their starting pitching? Let us know in the poll below:
Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images
I think that Dollander and Gordon will take good steps forward.
Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites.
Experts often possess more data than judgment.
Elites can become so inbred that they produce hemophiliacs who bleed
to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world.
So … Dollander and Gordon WON’T take good steps forward?
So that is what happened to you!!
Dollander’s home/road splits were insane last year. Should be illegal for the Rockies to waste elite pitching talent like that.
Move to a city that doesn’t have extreme elevation
Well, just build your stadium underground and use turf. Problem solved
The Colorado Rockies of New Orleans
I hear Oakland is looking for a team. The Rays are looking for a new home since a hurricane at sea level took out their ballpark
Oakland can’t hold onto a team. As we’ve seen a few times now.
If the Rockies didnt make the World Series in 2007 then I would agree that playing in Colorado is impossible to win
However, they have been good before it’s just that they have the most dysfunctional owner and front office that don’t know how to solve coors field
They wouldn’t have made it if Holliday was called out. Which he was
They still went on to beat the Phillies and diamondbacks in the playoffs
That padres game was only 1 game and the padres wouldn’t have made it to the World Series
I came on here to post the exact same thing.
apps 5,000′ is not ‘extreme elevation’. Far from it.. There’s a city in Colorado that’s at 10,162′. Leadville. It’s a nice town, I’ve been there.
Ramos, as I have. Sure is a very nice town, except in the winter.
It really is. Although I’ve seen it snow there in June.
They’ve got MONEY.
WHO CARES ABOUT ELEVATION!
Enclose the stadium and increase the air density.
Another good idea!
That’s exactly what they have to do but Monfort is too cheap. That is the only way to protect the pitchers.
Philliesbob, I get owners are rich dudes. I get Monfort doesn’t spend well.
But how exactly inexpensive do you think installing an enclosed roof and everything else that would need to be changed would be?
They had an article in the Denver Post last January about the cost of retrofitting Coors Field to add a retractable roof. Because of the limited footprint of the ballpark the estimate they came up with was $2.75 billion.
Since Coors Field is a great place to see a game as is and the Rockies draw well win or lose, Dick Monfort has no vested interest in borrowing more than 3 times his net worth to add a roof. Dick Monfort has a net worth of $700 million outside of the value of the Rockies.
Figuring out how to turn Coors field into an advantage is DePodesta’s job now.
Maybe having a whole room full of AirVida hyperbaric chambers to help players oxygenate and recover better? That would help some.
Of course, that would not deal with the issue of how pitches move at a mile high vs at sea level. Rockies hitters have to change how they react to pitches every time they go on the road. That is a disadvantage. How do they turn that into an advantage? What tech is available to help? Batting cages pressurized to the air density of sea level to practice in?
Pitchers have the same issue. What works in Denver does not work pretty much any other ballpark in the majors. the ball just doesn’t move the same. How do they turn that into an advantage. How do they practice consistently what works at sea level while also working on what works at a mile high?
What would happen if they got rid of the humidors and then they sign a bunch of high power guys like Joey gallo and then spend a bunch of resources on getting strikeout pitchers
2.75 BILLION?
Holy goodness
Strike out pitchers are strike out pitchers because of the way the ball moves. That changes every every few days when they go on the road. There is a saying in baseball, straight in, straight out. Even a guy that throws 100 is going to get hit if the ball doesn’t move. The ball goes straighter in Denver than say San Francisco or NYC.
Astros, actually if the team just used some of those illegals to build the roof, it would cost a ton of a savings. Just saying since they all love those people so much.
5. Get Out of Denver (Dave Edmunds version)
Get Out Of Denver (Bob Seger Version) A real treat if you’ve never heard the Seger Version
I know/have both, but I prefer Edmunds’ version.
Things to do in Denver when you’re a dead franchise
Downgrade to AA
High whiff rate pitchers that also induce grounders at a good clip. Mandatory at Coors. Good luck.
I think one issue is breaking balls don’t break as much at altitude.
Guys that throw ground balls, though, they could use a staff full.
High whiff rate pitchers that produce grounders at a good clip-so basically they need some elite pitchers.
They can’t
None of the above. They need to scrap the concept of traditional starter and utilize failed former starters in three inning stints. Pitching chaos as a full time philosophy.
Man! I came here to say the same thing. Load up on reliable middle relievers and roll out 2-3 inning openers in that thin air. Adapt.
Don and Wade
I had a similar thought. Just not “failed starters”.
I was thinking just acquire middle relievers and use maybe six per game. Need a few with options to rest them.
Maybe sign middle relief types with the incentive of using them as “starters”.
100% this. I don’t think we’re far from seeing the traditional starter disappear from baseball entirely, but Denver should be the meteor crash site for that extinction event. There’s a decent history of successful Rockies relievers, but very little to celebrate in their history of starters. It stands to reason that shielding pitchers from overexposure could greatly benefit them, and an expanded relief corps would be the best way to do it. Bullpen day every day.
Gil for Doyle, shall we?
No, but thank you for taking McMahon’s salary.
No problem, I like Ryan’s glove and think he’ll improve in the Stadium this season.
But seriously, Gil would be the ace of that rotation, though I do acknowledge probably needing an additional piece to make it happen.
Ryan’s defense and glove are awesome.
Can’t the Yankees afford Harrison Bader?
I don’t want Bader lol. Definitely intrigued by Doyle though! Either way, hope the kid gets back on track. He had a lot to deal with last year.
By signing better pitchers? Kind of obvious, no? Clearly they can’t develop them. If you’re playing half the year in Denver, prioritize ground ball pitchers and strikeout guys. You think the professionals in these front offices would know that by now.
They have to hand out Mike Hampton contracts to attract pitchers there
Their next stadium needs to be bigger , the gimmick hasnt worked out in their favor
They already have the largest field in terms of playing area. They will need 3 Doyles just to cover the outfield if it gets any bigger.
75 ft outfield walls
Colorado’s MLB ranks:
* OPS – 27th
* Strikeouts (batters) – 2nd
* Home Runs – 25th
Not that their pitching is any better, but let’s not pretend they’re a few pitchers away from competing
Who’s first? Bet it’s the Pirates
Angels
Exactly. They need to start by developing an exciting dynamic offense and that will help recruit pitchers who will at least view 15 win seasons as attainable even with 4.50+ earned run averages. I do wonder if running half a dozen middle relievers out might work better.
The damage to your counting stats done could keep a good starter from getting into the hall.
True
Senga and Vientos plus $10 mil for Doyle
Did Kodai run over your puppy?
Honestly they should just sign like 8 guys that are either ex MLB playing independent ball or guys that pitched good in AAA last year but never got a look and let them battle it out in Spring Training.
Honestly, the Rockies should just give up on the concept of having a good pitcher. Lean full into the fact you play in a park where flyballs fly further. Sign/develop rangy outfielders with power, infielders with even more power, and out-hit everyone. Just try your best with the pitching, and try not to have a team ERA over 5.50.
Make a Clonetahni team ?
I recall the last successful team there was much like that as far as outscoring opponents.
Blake Street Bombers II, This is the only real answer,
Is this a trick question?
We all know breaking balls and sliders don’t bite at Coors like they do at other locations. This again comes down to a lack of analytics which is what they are developing now. How many of the current starters throw off speed pitches? I think my biggest concern is how did pitchers like Freeland, Marquez and Senzatela become worse? The last 4 years something changed as evidence of the inflated ERA.
Any high spin rate movement tends to not move as much there. Very interesting environment. Maybe just make pine tar legal there!?
Imho they should focus on fixing the offense first. Get the easy stuff out of the way before you worry about the pitching.
Like the Sacramento A’s have done!
They are ready to trade Severino for one more batter!
Go, A’s!
By moving to a new stadium?
Move outfield fences way back, like to Wyoming!
Coors Field is too big already, HRs are less of an issue than all that grass and the hits and doubles everywhere
The biggest issue with this organization is that they aren’t playing to their strengths. Pitching is important, but their offense has been horrid. In that ballpark they need to have a top 3 offense in baseball if they want to compete. The Rockies can entice free agent pitcher to pitch for them by overpaying. It all comes down to money
Poll: How Can The Rockies Best Improve Their Starting Pitching?
Answer: change cities
Enclose the entire ballpark. That’s it. Otherwise, forever horrendous pitching for them and all visiting teams.
Darn… stop playing in Coors Field isn’t an option
I was just about to say that to lol. That’s the real correct option haha
Assuming they cant change the air density, build the team around defense. High velocity ground ball pitchers, fielders with range and can catch the ball. Then focus on hitters who can run the bases, hit for contact, and get on base. Homers will come if they make contact. Too much swing and miss slows down the offense. Create strong depth with the rotation and the bullpen, both in the majors and triple a. Sign abunch of 4a pitchers that can be cut and replaced, so you can cycle through as many pitchers needed to kepp them fresh
LOL!
Best way for the Rockies to improve their starting pitching is to move the team to Oakland.
Use Wiffle balls.
Someone should trade for Luis Peralta. He was great in 2024 and then tanked last year. Jaden Hill also has some appeal.
Those are the two, along with Chivilli, that I hope the Rockies move for help elsewhere. They are decent prospects, but they are behind about 10 other guys in the pen. If the Rox don’t trade them, they will eventually be DFA’d anyway. So try and get something for them.
Try to find guys whose breaking balls break too much.
That is the real answer! Sign ol’ “dirtball” McCoy.
Revive all the best pitchers in the history of the game and sign them.
I’m looking at you Old Hoss Radbourn!
Old Hoss flips you the bird.
@TurkeyClubSamich
Using WAR as a guide Old Hoss Radbourn was a better player than Mike Trout. Can’t even believe people ware talking about Trout in the HOF. Guy belongs in the Hall of Decent players…
More importantly, he was the first known person to be photographed giving the finger.
@TurkeyClubSamich
Great guy. Wish we had more players like him today but corporate America likes stale, clean cardboard cutouts than rough characters. No wonder the game’s gone down the drain.
Move to a lower elevation
not be the rockies
The more important question is, why would they want to? They might be 20 games worse than any other team. Almost no chance of not finishing last.
But if you want to improve the team, you have to think of opposite terms. If you cannot recruit a pitcher, that means you can recruit hitters.
Get exclusively groundball pitchers. The are 21st in OPSa with GBs. They are 30th in OPSa with FBs. Combine 1-2 rangy guys up the middle with serious FB lumber.
On the hitting side, just the opposite again. When they hit GBs, they are 26th in OPS. When they hit FBs, they are 12th.
We all know the blueprint for the Rockies success and it’s definitely not pitching.
The Rockies need mashers all over their lineup mixed with a couple a speed guys. Every starter on their 2007 World Series team hit over .288 except for the catcher Torealba and he had a serviceable .255 average. Every single starting pitcher from that season had a negative WAR. They basically mashed their way to the World Series.
The Rockies need to draft hitting, sign free agent hitters, and trade for hitters. Any guys that can get the ball over the plate and stand up straight will be the pitchers.
I see your point, but the 2007 Rox had Jeff Francis with a 4.0 WAR and Aaron Cook with 2.9. (according to BR) and Jimenez, Fogg and even HIrsch were all around 1 WAR. Nobody was negative. THAT is the blueprint, a couple of good starters and 4 more average ones and a TON of offense.
Thank for calling me out on that. I was looking at the pitchers hitting stats.
I think signing Framber Valdez makes a ton of sense for them. Get a ground ball pitcher like him to front the staff.
I think the Rockies see Hunter Goodman as a player to build around, and bringing on a guy who intentionally harms his own catchers might not be the best way to do it.
It’s time for DePodesta to stop talking, and start acting. Be bold. This isn’t rocket science. The primary focus should be to leverage altitude. Build a team, like the Rockies once were competitive with (when Dante Bichette, Walker, Galarraga, Burks, Cargo, Tulo, Helton, Arenado, etc were here), which powers its way to high- scoring wins, night after night, despitex having mediocre ( not horrific like now) starting pitchers. Sign homerun hitting free agents to play 1B, 3B, RF, LF, and DH who will relish playing half their games at Coors Field. If the Rockies score 10 runs, who cares if they give up 8? As a secondary focus, replace 2 of their horrific starting pitchers via trade, but be realistic and target #4 or #5 guys who keep the ball on the ground. Act!!!
It is not rocket science, its data science. That takes tech. It takes data scientists, It takes time.
The Rockies are near or at the bottom in baseball in spending on advanced tech, analytics personnel, and baseball development personnel. All of that has to built pretty much from scratch. That takes time.
My baseball academy for 10-17 year old players has better tech than their spring training facility or their AAA team. Probably than their MLB team. They need to both invest in the tech and in the people that understand how to both utilize it and translate that data into information the players can use. Players who are not necessarily data scientists or bio mechanics experts.
DePodesta has already started gathering some of the personnel including Byrnes who was in charge of player development for the Dodgers. He has hired a data scientist to head that department. He is hiring a large number of guys behind the scenes. Adding entire departments and bringing them into the 21st Century across the board takes time.
In their 32 year history, the Rockies have only been consistently competitive in 2007 & 2009 and 2017-2018. The way they did it each time was different.
Building an analytics capability is wise, but it should be done quickly, and augmented by common sense.
Groundball pitchers and lots of them…
Trade Tovar for pitching.
Having had a small part in trying to FIND pitching for the Rockies in the past – you want as many Ubaldo Jimenez/Jeff Francis clones as possible. You need truly EXTREME ground ball and K rates, because the elevation is going to reduce your staff fo league avg at best. But league avg pitching in Denver with an offense that benefits from the elevation is the actual winning formula in Coors.
Yeah – Im very ok dealing the right players in order to gain these more extreme pitching outliers when they’re further advanced than younger prospects.
It’s a gauntlet – I can assure anyone of that.
You abandon all starting pitching development, drafting, scouting and signings outright.
Colorado needs to reinvent the wheel to have a shot at the negative effects from the ball park.
Develop, draft, scout and sign all relievers. Preferably guys that are capable of going 3 innings.
Play the waiver wire and 40 man hard and play the next man up.
Constantly cycling arms from the dfa pool and your own minor league system.
I think then and if only then they have a shot vs turning high caliber arms and signing demands vs the negative impact because of the altitude.
If not that move the stadium and stop blaming baseball for your own problems here.
HEHEHATE – you don’t abandon all development. You cant flip all your offense for arms. You pay money in Latin America for extreme arms and you draft very extreme K and groundball talent. This honestly isnt my opinion. Its how the Rockies built the 07 World Series team
Step 1 draft hitters may have to win some high scoring games sometimes
Step 2 f the 5 man rotation go full blown pen opener where guys go max 3 innings. Sinker ball specialist two seamers splitters cutters should be prioritized as main pitches since off speed stuff naturally loses movement
Step 3 pray pray pray child sacrifice first born sons
After 33 years, it’s obvious that the decision to grant Colorado a franchise was a mistake. Free agent pitchers are not going to sign in Colorado. It’s a pitchers dead zone where careers go to die.
Rockies dont need free agent pitchers. They need an owner who wont meddle and drive out all the great scouts and staff who helped make them competitive for quite awhile.
Goodman and Moniak for Aaron Nola
The Rockies don’t have a single prospect that will be an impact pitcher for them.
After a 0.1 WAR, 72 OPS+ Doyle would not bring back anything more than a depth starter.
That leaves the guys on the staff or the guys on the FA market. I doubt they are going to go after even the mid-level starters that are still on the market.
Give the new analytics and data guys a chance to show Depodesta what they have before they go making big investments.
I don’t see how the Rockies could trade anyone to get much improvement in the starting rotation. Doyle is their best trade chip but I don’t see how he could get much more than a 4th or 5th starter in return. The Rockies will probably need to sign bargain bin free agents in hopes that the new pitching coaches can work wonders.
Move to Oakland?
Why ask a bunch of people that have no respect for the team at all?
Moving out of the launching pad that is Coors would be the most likely solve.
Joking aside, run with youth and maybe fill in one or two low cost vets (ie. Bassit) to be mentors and innings eaters. They’re not going to compete this year, no sense in throwing real money or trade assets out the door.
Go all knuckleballer rotation
How’s never sound.
This question has been asked for 30+ years.
Gotta go with:
None of the Above
A couple of potential names: Jose Berrios now at Jays could be available and they may be willing to send cash for prospects to cover some salary. Also Marcus Stroman, who has a history of great GB numbers
Yes, Marcus Stroman, a great fit for the Rockies.
It’s why I felt an Ezequiel Tovar trade made sense with Atlanta. They have a ton of arms that are either mlb ready or younger with some high upside
>How Can The Rockies Best Improve Their Starting Pitching?
Move their team to Portland or Montreal.
Use an opener.
Breaking pitches don’t break as much in Colorado. Fill the rotation with high velocity guys that throw 97+
In the poll why isn’t the option sign a FA? They could have gotten the Japanese pitcher for short money. Colorado, bad records and all, gets an amazing average attendance. When we went a few years ago they were averaging 40,000 per game. They have the money to support the big club. They just won’t spend.
Trade Doyle for 3 starting pitcher prospects. Baltimore, KC, Milwaukee, Cincinnati all have some really intriguing arms with at least 2 on each team having some Major League experience. Dodgers and Mariners prospects are too good and there’s less need.
“How can the Rockies best improve their starting pitching?”
Leave Colorado
I always thought the Rockies should build a stadium in a massive cavern a mile under Denver, with giant freight elevators transporting fans and players to and from (emergency staircases would also be available). Everyone would also have to wear hardhats due to the danger of falling stalactites.
A. Dome and pressurize Stadium to < 1000 feet above sea-level.
B. Relocate below 1000 feet above sea-level.
C. Have Congress repeal all applicable Aerodynamics laws of physics.
D. Raise sea-level by 3000 or so feet.
E. Wiffel Balls??
F. Batters hit with balloons.
G. Change all of the dimensions of the park to adjust it to sub 1000 feet above sea-level. (60 inch mound, 127.4 feet between bases, etc…)
H. Teather the baseball to the mound…400 foot rope.
New dome stadium + make it pitchers friendly dimensions + get pitchers with high groundball rates
And get rid of Kris Bryant
I feel terrible for the Rockies because they are stuck in a nearly impossible loop. No first-time top-notch pitcher will ever want to go there in free agency unless it is an extreme overpay. Stats matter towards future contracts and Colorado skews pitcher stats negatively.
Any pitcher they produce that is dominant will want to see just how dominant they would be elsewhere and leave, unless it is a massive overpay to keep them.
That leaves the Rockies with producing talent they will need to overpay to keep, overpaying for free agent talent and trading for talent. Trading is the real option, but that means they need to constantly produce their own enviable talent and trade it away time and again (multiple at a time) simply to build a competitive staff. Not an easy thing to do, and not the soundest way to create a pipeline to filling out multiple team needs with young. controllable, and affordable players to allow you to pay the talent you bring in.
Rockies have it rougher than most.
I liked a lot of the points here, espeically DonOsbourne and Skip’s Fungo. Normally, I’d yell “Knuckleball!” because that’ s my default setting. I can’t see that working.
What the analytics department should be doing is looking at every pitch thrown at Coors in the Statcast era and then compare it to non-Coors pitches by the same player. Find out *exactly* what gets nerfed the most…is it rise, spin, horizontal movement, arm angles, or the player’s astrological sign? Look at it all.
Then, think outside the box. There have been sidearm/submarine starters in the past. Tyler Rogers has allowed a HR on 1.6% of his plate appearances (no sample size issue) and 2.1% at Coors (92 PA, obvious sample size issue). Find another Tyler Rogers. Convert one. Grow one. Whatever.
And I second the idea above of abandoning the traditional modern bullpen. The relievers need to be able to go two innings regularly, both to shorten up starts and avoid using 25 pitchers for 10+ innings like last year.
Final crazy suggestion: have a true long reliever. Former starter, probably in his 30s, usually pitching in the inevitable “bad Coors game” as a mop-up man. Add bonuses for innings pitched. Remind him that every 42 days in the majors increases his pension. Create a new role: call him the Compactor or Joey Chestnut or the Shredder. Give him a Bobblehead Night.
By not pitching at Coors Field is the only answer
While I agree that Coors Field is a tough sell for free agent starting pitchers, I reject the writer’s premise that the Rockies are similarly disadvantaged with regard to trading for starters, I think that Doyle, Beck, Goodman and/or the team’s highly ranked competitive balance pick would comprise useful trade chips that could be used to upgrade the starting staff.
By lowering their pitching mound… about 5,000 feet.
Colorado Hitters 2025: 26% worse than average (wRC+)
Colorado Pitchers 2025: 25% worse than average (ERA-), 13% worse than average (FIP-), 9% worse than average (xFIP-_
Colorado Starters 2025: 30% worse than average (ERA-), 26% worse than average (FIP-), 21% worse than average (xFIP-)
The hitters are as bad as the starters.
AM I WRONG BUT 2 THINGS IMPROVE YOUR PITCHING COLORADO
1) BETTER DRAFTING AND DEVELOPMENT
2) MOST IMPORTANT INFO HERE—MOVE ASAP
When the Rockies were successful, they concentrated on high power offense. Do that.
Yee-Haw
I don’t think there’s any answer to this. I think their pitching will be terrible ’til the day I die. lol