The Rockies have endured some rocky years in recent memory. Better days are not likely ahead, but there was some good news this offseason.
2023 was not kind to the Colorado Rockies. A 59-103 record was third worst in the league and a franchise worst for Colorado. The biggest news of the offseason for Rockies fans was Todd Helton’s Hall of Fame induction, and the team doing nothing to improve for 2024. Five straight losing seasons and no playoff berths since 2018 are not ideal in a state where the Denver Nuggets won a championship in 2023 and the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Alas, everyone is 0-0 right now, so Spring Training is about optimism. Here’s to the Rockies enjoying a Rocky Mountain High at least into May.
Additions
C Jacob Stallings
SP Dakota Hudson
SP Cal Quantrill
RP Jalen Beeks
RP Anthony Molina
OF Bradley Zimmer (minors)
RP John Curtiss (minors)
Departures
SP Chris Flexen
RP Brent Suter
C Brian Serven
SP Chase Anderson
C Kody Huff
Offseason Grade: C
The Rockies mostly watched the offseason and free agency from the sidelines. The Los Angeles Dodgers spent to become even more of a juggernaut in the division and the Arizona Diamondbacks made improvements to a team coming off a World Series appearance. Players may be fed up with a 103-loss season, but the franchise as a whole does not seem concerned. The Rockies are running it back with a lineup that was 18th in the league in runs per game. That is a decent offense but concerning when they averaged 5.25 runs per game at home and 3.65 away, suggesting a Coors Field effect. The bigger problem is that they gave up the most runs per game in MLB last season, at 5.91 per game.
Injuries in Rotation
The Rockies do not have a great rotation to begin with. Beginning the season without SPs Antonio Senzatela and Germán Márquez puts Colorado between a rock and a hard place. Both underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2023: Márquez in May and Senzatela in July. Both could return in 2024, but if the Rockies are already out of the playoff contention in a top-heavy NL West, there is no sense in rushing either one back. If the Rockies do by some miracle find themselves in contention, either starter’s return will be a major boost to the team and would allow a weaker arm to assist the bullpen.
The Rockies cannot rank any worse in runs per game this year. When you are at the bottom, you can only go up. Or stay the same. Dakota Hudson and Cal Quantrill are serviceable MLB starters. Here’s to Dakota Hudson having more success than Dakota Johnson had with her latest movie, “Madame Web”. SP Kyle Freeland is not an ideal number one starter, but his experience will help provide some semblance of consistency. SP Ryan Feltner is coming off a terrifying experience, taking a line drive to the face. If there is anyone to root for to have a breakout season, it is him. Nonetheless, expect the Rockies to play high scoring games this season, and not just because of the thin air in Colorado.
Old Stars to Mentor New Ones
By all definitions, Coors Field is a hitter’s park. Coors Field can make a Hall of Famer outta any batter, right Todd Helton? Not quite. While Beltin’ Helton deserves his plaque, the lineup for 2024 will have to do more than rely on the field to make them competitive. DH Charlie Blackmon and 1B Kris Bryant are veterans with experience to share and gas left in the tank. Blackmon is one of five connections to the 2018 team that made the playoffs and was one game away from beating the Dodgers for the NL West title. Márquez, Senzatela, Freeland, and 3B Ryan McMahon are the others. The presence of these players will be crucial if the next wave of Rockies is to be successful.
If there is any reason for hope, it rests on the young shoulders of SS Ezequiel Tovar and LF Nolan Jones. Tovar showed promise in his first season and could be the next successful shortstop for the Rockies, following in the footsteps of Troy Tulowitzki and Trevor Story. LF Nolan Jones finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Jones hit 20 HRs in 106 games in ’23. A full season of him could lead to other teams keeping up with the Jones.
Projected Lineup
1. DH Charlie Blackmon
2. SS Ezequiel Tovar
3. LF Nolan Jones
4. 1B Kris Bryant
5. 3B Ryan McMahon
6. 2B Brendan Rodgers
7. RF Sean Bouchard
8. C Elias Díaz
9. CF Brenton Doyle
Bench: C Jacob Stalling, 1B/3B Elehuris Montero, INF Alan Trejon, OF Bradley Zimmer
Starting Rotation
1. Kyle Freeland
2. Cal Quantrill
3. Austin Gomber
4. Ryan Feltner
5. Dakota Hudson
Bullpen
1. Justin Lawrence
2. Tyler Kinley
3. Jake Bird
4. Nick Mears
5. Jalen Beeks
6. Gavin Hollowell
7. Ty Blach
8. Anthony Molina
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