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Tag: bud black

  • Rockies’ Kris Bryant sidelined again with sore back; Kyle Freeland nearing return

    Rockies’ Kris Bryant sidelined again with sore back; Kyle Freeland nearing return

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    Kris Bryant, the oft-injured first baseman and designated hitter, was not in the starting lineup for the Rockies’ Monday night game against Cincinnati. Bryant is once again dealing with lower back issues.

    Manager Bud Black said that Bryant was “a little sore” and added that Bryant was consulting with doctors and team trainers.

    Bryant tweaked his back Sunday while making a twisting catch of Mookie Betts’ popup in foul territory in the eighth inning during Colorado’s 4-0 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

    Bryant missed 31 games earlier in the season after he was placed on the injured list on April 17 with a strained lower back. Since coming off the injured list on May  21, Bryant has slashed .222/.333./306 while reaching base safety in eight of 10 games.

    In 28 games this season, Bryant is hitting .186 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. He opened the season in an 0-for-28 slump.

    Last month, Bryant acknowledged that his aching back — he has disc problems and what he called “severe arthritis” — will be a challenge for the rest of his career.

    “I know I have a bad back, and that’s no secret, and there are some things in there you aren’t going to heal,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s just part of getting older, and it sucks.”

    Freeland’s progress. Veteran left-handed starter Kyle Freeland is scheduled to pitch in a simulated game on Tuesday. Freeland was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 16 with a left elbow strain and transferred to the 60-day IL on May 24. Black estimated that Freeland is likely 3 1/2 weeks away from returning.

    Veen sidelined. Outfield prospect Zac Veen, who had been playing well for Double-A Hartford, is in Scottsdale, Ariz., getting treatment on his strained lower back. He’s working out at the Rockies’ Salt River Fields complex but is not doing baseball activities. There is no timetable for his return to game action. Veen, Colorado’s first-round draft choice in 2020, has not played since May 18. He’s hitting .326 with a .986 OPS, five home runs and 12 RBIs.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Rockies’ rookie Jordan Beck breaks hand in loss to Phillies

    Rockies’ rookie Jordan Beck breaks hand in loss to Phillies

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    Rockies rookie outfielder Jordan Beck broke a bone in his left hand in the Rockies’ 8-4 loss to the Phillies Saturday night at Coors Field.

    Beck, 23, jammed his left (glove) hand while making an excellent diving catch on Nick Castellano’s sinking line drive in left field at the end of the first inning. Beck was in obvious pain when he ran off the field.

    Sean Bouchard will likely be called up from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace Beck on the big-league roster.

    Beck is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Rockies’ No. 4 prospect and the 65th-best overall prospect in baseball.

    Manager Bud Black said during his postgame press conference that Beck had broken his hand but did not elaborate. Black said he did not think Beck had broken his hand when the injury occurred.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Rockies beat Phillies 3-2 in 11 innings after Philadelphia star Bryce Harper ejected in 1st

    Rockies beat Phillies 3-2 in 11 innings after Philadelphia star Bryce Harper ejected in 1st

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    DENVER (AP) — Jacob Stallings hit a tying home run with two outs in the ninth inning, Ezequiel Tovar had a winning single in the 11th for his career-best fourth hit and the Colorado Rockies beat Philadelphia 3-2 after the first-inning ejection of Phillies star Bryce Harper.

    Harper called a timeout after taking a borderline 0-1 sinker that appeared to be low and inside but was called a strike by plate umpire Brian Walsh. After the two-time NL MVP struck out on the next pitch, a curveball, Harper dropped his bat and threw his helmet. He said something to Walsh and was tossed in the 21st ejection of Harper’s big league career.

    Colorado stopped the Phillies’ six-game winning streak.

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    Jack Magruder, Associated Press

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  • Ezequiel Tovar lifts Rockies to thrilling 3-2, 11-inning win over Phillies

    Ezequiel Tovar lifts Rockies to thrilling 3-2, 11-inning win over Phillies

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    Heroes have been hard to find for the Rockies, but Friday night, there were plenty of them in LoDo.

    Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar ripped an RBI single down the left-field line off Phillies left-hander Gregory Soto to score Brenton Doyle from third and lift Colorado to a thrilling 3-2 victory.

    Tovar hit Soto’s 0-1 slider for the second walk-off hit of his career.

    “Honestly, I was just thinking, ‘Get a good at-bat there because our bullpen did a hell of a job tonight,’ ” Tovar said, using bullpen catcher Aaron Munoz as his interpreter.

    “Situations like that are extremely fun,” Tovar continued. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous in pregame or in any of those at-bats. But any situation, in any at-bat, I just try to get a hit up the middle, basically.”

    Tovar, who went 4 for 6 and had the first four-hit game of his career, would not have had the chance to don Superman’s cape had it not been for backup catcher Jacob Stallings. Or a lockdown night by the bullpen.

    In the ninth, with the Rockies trailing 2-1 and down to their final out, Stallings ripped a 427-foot, pinch-hit homer off Phillies closer Jose Alvarado to tie the game, 2-2. Stallings ambushed Alvarado’s first pitch, a 97 mph sinker, to send the game into extra innings.

    “I know what a tough at-bat Alvarado is,” said Stallings, who hit the first pinch-hit homer of his nine-year career. “But that was a really cool moment and it ranks up there as one of my favorites. But contributing to the win was the most important thing.”

    Stallings is the third player in Rockies history to launch a game-tying, pinch-hit home run with two outs in the ninth inning. The others were Larry Walker, on July 17, 1999, at Cincinnati, and Sam Hillard, on Sept. 28, 2019, vs. Milwaukee.

    And Colorado’s much-maligned relief corps came through big time.

    Reliever Nick Mears found himself against the ropes in the 10th. A one-out walk by Whit Merrifield, followed by a bloop single to center by pinch-hitter Kody Clemens, loaded the bases. But Mears struck out the dangerous Kyle Schwarber looking at a curveball and got J.T. Realmuto to ground out to first.

    On a night when Colorado desperately needed a reliever to come through, Mears delivered two scoreless innings. And then Tyler Kinley delivered a scoreless 11th to notch the win.

    The Rockies have become extra-inning warriors. They beat Oakland in 12 innings Wednesday night and lost to the A’s in 11 innings on Thursday. Friday marked just the second time the Rockies have played three consecutive extra-inning games. It last happened June 20-22, 2002, when the Rockies beat the Yankees in the 10th, followed by a win over Tampa in the 10th, then another win over Tampa in the 11th.

    Before all of the late-game drama, Colorado left-hander Ty Blach pitched a terrific game.

    The Phillies came to LoDo on a roll, having won 29 of their previous 35 games but Colorado went toe-to-toe with them.

    The night’s fireworks came early when Phillies star first baseman Bryce Harper was ejected in the first inning for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Brian Walsh. Harper struck out on three pitches against Blach. Harper spiked his batting helmet and then continued to argue. It was Harper’s first ejection of the season and the 21st of his career.

    “Bummed,” Harper told reporters in the Philadelphia clubhouse. “I wasn’t trying to get thrown out. I was just having a conversation. There are guys who are professionals in this league. They understand it. I guess 120 didn’t understand it.”

    The “120” Harper reference is Walsh’s umpire jersey number.

    Crew chief Vic Carapazza provided a pool report about Harper’s ejection after the game.

    “What led to the ejection was that Bryce Harper was clearly upset about the pitches and Brian gave him a long leash,” Carapazza said. “He kept him in the game, and Bryce just kept arguing about balls and strikes and, at the end of the day, equipment violation is basically a big warning and, if you continue to talk about pitches, then Brian had to handle it. So that’s it, really.”

    Besides striking out Harper, Blach set the stage for the Rockies’ victory. Following in the footsteps of Cal Quantrill, Austin Gomber and Ryan Feltner’s excellent starts in Oakland, Blach slowed down the Phillies for 6 2/3 innings.

    The Phillies hurt him with two swings in the fifth inning. Nick Castellanos led off with a 445-foot blast to center, teeing off on Blach’s 1-0 cutter. Two batters later, Edmundo Sosa launched Blach’s 2-1 sinker into the left-field bleacher for a 2-0 Philly lead.

    Blach allowed five hits, struck out two, and walked two. Of his 78 pitches, 58 were thrown for strikes. Most impressive, his only three-ball counts of the night came vs. the final two batters he faced.

    “The key was to pitch down,” Blach said. “I know they like to do damage, so I tried to get some groundballs.

    He threw 78 pitches, 58 for strikes, in his very efficient night.

    “When I’m right, that’s how things are going,” he said. “I’m just attacking the zone and changing speeds, going in and out. The changeup was good tonight and I was able to keep those guys off-balance.”

    Colorado sliced Philadelphia’s lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, combining a double by Hunter Goodman, a single up the middle for Alan Trejo, who was filling in at third base for Ryan McMahon, and an RBI single by Tovar. Tovar’s 23 RBIs rank are tied for second on the team with  Elias Diaz and trail only McMahon (30).

    Saturday’s pitching matchup

    Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.05 ERA) at Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (1-7, 5.89)

    7:10 p.m. Saturday, Coors Field

    TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).

    Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

    While right-hander Cal Quantrill and lefty Austin Gomber have been pitching like All-Stars this month, Hudson continues to struggle. But he has made some progress, even though he picked up his seventh loss on Sunday at San Francisco. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. Lack of pitch efficiency has been a problem for the right-hander all season. And Hudson has struggled at Coors Field, going 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA, 15 walks and 11 strikeouts over four starts. In five career starts against the Phillies, he’s 1-2 with a 3.58 ERA, 16 walks and 15 strikeouts. As a member of the Cardinals last season, he made two starts against Philly, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.

    Nola has pitched well against Colorado, going 4-2 with a 3.36 ERA in 10 starts, striking out 72 while walking only 11. He dominated the Rockies in Philadelphia last month, allowing one run on four hits over 7 1/3 innings. He fanned nine and walked one. Nola is coming off a strong performance vs. the Nationals last Sunday when he allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and three walks across seven innings. He struck out five. In five career starts at Coors Field, he’s 2-2 with a 4.22 ERA.

    Pitching probables

    Sunday: Phillies LHP Ranger Suarez (9-0, 1.36) at Rockies RHP Cal Quantrill (3-3, 3.59), 1:10 p.m.

    Monday: Guardians RHP Xzavion Curry (2-2, 1.93) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (1-2, 2.76), 2:10 p.m.

    Tuesday: Rockies TBD at Guardians TBD, 6:40 p.m.

    Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • McMahon hits 2-run homer in the 12th inning to lift Colorado Rockies over Oakland Athletics 4-3

    McMahon hits 2-run homer in the 12th inning to lift Colorado Rockies over Oakland Athletics 4-3

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    OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a two-run home run in the 12th inning, and the Colorado Rockies hung on to beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3.

    Elias Díaz had three hits including a two-run home run, while Brendan Rogers and Hunter Goodman each added a pair of hits to help Colorado snap a four-game losing streak. Before the skid, the Rockies had won seven consecutive games for their longest streak in nearly five years.

    Nick Mears retired four batters for hits first win. JJ Bleday homered for the A’s, who have lost 11 of 13.

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    Michael Wagaman, Associated Press

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  • Ramos homers, Hicks earns 4th win as Giants beat Rockies 4-1 for first series sweep this year

    Ramos homers, Hicks earns 4th win as Giants beat Rockies 4-1 for first series sweep this year

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    SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Heliot Ramos hit his second big league home run, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 for their first series sweep this season.

    Jordan Hicks allowed one run and three hits over five innings with no walks as the Giants stretched their winning streak to a season-high four. Sean Hjelle, Luke Jackson, Taylor Rogers and Camilo Doval each pitched a hitless inning to complete a three-hitter.

    Doval struck out Jake Cave for the final out and remained perfect in eight save chances.

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    The Associated Press

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  • Reeling Rockies suffer epic collapse, lose 7-6 to Marlins in 10 innings

    Reeling Rockies suffer epic collapse, lose 7-6 to Marlins in 10 innings

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    Leave it to the Rockies to ruin a couple of storybook endings.

    In one of the worst meltdowns in recent memory, the Rockies blew a 5-0 lead in the ninth inning and lost 7-6 to the woeful Marlins in 10 innings Tuesday night at loanDepot park.

    In losing again, the Rockies became the first team since 1900 to trail in each of its first 29 games. The Rockies lost to Houston on Sunday, joining the 1910 St. Louis Browns as the only teams to trail in each of their first 28 games.

    “That was a tough one … we shot ourselves in the foot,” manager Bud Black said.

    The Rockies nearly dodged ignominy. Ryan McMahon hit an RBI double to right to score Sean Bouchard to give the Rockies a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth, but the Marlins scored twice in the bottom of the frame off left-hander Jalen Beeks.

    Bryan De La Cruz hit an RBI double off Beeks to score pinch runner Tim Anderson, tying the game at 6-all. Then Dane Myers punched a single to right fielder Hunter Goodman, who made a perfect throw to the plate, but catcher Elias Diaz couldn’t handle the throw, and Anderson scrambled around Diaz and tagged the plate with his hand for the winning run.

    Black told reporters in Miami, ” ‘Goody’ made a good play, but ‘Ellie’ couldn’t handle it.”

    All of that carnage on a night when Jordan Beck was impressive in his major league debut, Ryan Feltner nearly pitched a shutout, and Elehuris Montero blasted a rare home run on the road.

    But the Rockies suffered an epic and ugly ninth-inning collapse in a game featuring the National League’s two worst teams. Colorado, swept by the Astros in Mexico City last weekend, tumbled to 7-22. The Marlins, losers of seven straight games entering Tuesday, improved to 7-24.

    Feltner, who had flashed potential numerous times in his career, gave up only three harmless singles over the first eight innings. But in the ninth, Vidal Brujan led off with a single, Feltner plunked Christian Bethancourt, and Luis Arraez ripped an RBI double to right, scoring Brujan.

    That was it for Feltner, who was clearly unhappy when Black lifted him from the game. In came closer Justin Lawrence, who immediately melted down.

    In quick succession, Miami’s Bryan De La Cruz drew a walk, Dane Myers hit a two-run single, Josh Bell singled to load the bases, and Lawrence, lacking any semblance of command, hit Jesus Sanches to drive in another run.

    The Marlins tied the game, 5-5, on Emmanuel Rivera’s sacrifice fly to right. That was it for Lawrence. Black summoned Beeks to try and stop the avalanche of trouble. He did, at least for two-thirds of an inning, striking out Nick Gordon and getting Christian Bethancourt to fly out.

    Beck, the highly touted outfield prospect, made his big league debut and hit 2 for 4. Starting in left field and hitting eighth, Beck singled in the first off right-hander Sixto Sanchez and added another single in the sixth off right-hander Declan Cronin.

    “Just take the moment in, take a deep breath, look around and be where my feet are,” Beck told reporters about his first day with the Rockies. “A lot of people say write it down, what it feels like, don’t forget it. There are a lot of things that you want to remember from this day and carry on into the future.”

    The first pitch Beck saw in his major league career was a ball, well outside the strike zone. The second pitch was a slider over the inside of the plate, and Beck lined the ball to center field for his first hit.

    The Rockies scored all but one of their runs in the first off Sanchez. Ezequiel Tovar led off with a double and advanced to third on Brenton Doyle’s sacrifice bunt. McMahon singled in Tovar and advanced to second on Diaz’s groundout.

    Charlie Blackmon, who entered the game in a deep funk, slashing .119/.159/.143 over his last 12 games, drove in McMahon with a single to right. Then Brendan Rodgers singled up the middle, setting the table for Montero’s 409-foot, three-run homer.

    Colorado had only three hits after the first inning, but with Feltner on the mound, it didn’t matter until the ninth and 10th innings.

    Still, Feltner said he let his team down.

    “It will take a while for me to think about my performance,” the right-hander told Rockies.TV. “I just think right now that I let the team down. I’ve got to finish off that ninth inning. I’ve never been in that position before, and now I’m hungry to get back there.”

    Wednesday’s pitching matchup

    Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-4, 6.57 ERA) at Marlins TBA

    4:40 p.m. Wednesday, loanDepot park

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Kyle Tucker homers as the Astros beat the Rockies, 8-2, in Mexico City

    Kyle Tucker homers as the Astros beat the Rockies, 8-2, in Mexico City

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    MEXICO CITY — Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros had a very successful stay in Mexico City.

    Tucker, Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña each hit a solo homer, helping Framber Valdez and the Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 8-2 on Sunday.

    Tucker and Yainer Diaz each drove in two runs as Houston swept the two-game series at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium.

    “The plan was to use the series as a springboard looking forward,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We want this series to be like a new beginning for us. We need to have more urgency.”

    Valdez (1-0) pitched five innings of two-run ball in his first big league start since April 2. The left-hander allowed five hits, struck out six and walked none.

    “He threw the ball well the first couple of innings,” Espada said. “Command was not there, but he settled in the third and he gave us five innings. It was encouraging to see the way he threw the ball.”

    Valdez had been sidelined by elbow inflammation, one of several pitching injuries that had contributed to Houston’s 9-19 start. Justin Verlander is back, but the Astros are awaiting the return of José Urquidy, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. at some point this season.

    “When the rotation is healthy, we have proved that we can do great things in the postseason,” Espada said.

    Elias Díaz had two hits for Colorado, and Sean Bouchard and Jacob Stallings each drove in a run. Austin Gomber (0-2) was charged with four runs and six hits in seven innings.

    The Rockies have dropped 11 of 14 games.

    “We have not played our best baseball and our record is indicative of that, but the players come with energy to compete. There has not been one sign of them not being happy,” manager Bud Black said. “We will continue to play hard.”

    Houston had lost five in a row before arriving in Mexico City, scoring a total of 10 runs during the slide. But it fared much better at Alfredo Harp Helu, with its elevation of 7,349 feet.

    Yordan Alvarez hit two homers and Tucker also went deep during Saturday’s 12-4 victory.

    Tucker connected in the first inning in the finale of the two-game set. Altuve went deep in the third, and Peña hit his third homer in the fourth.

    It was Houston’s second regular-season visit to Mexico. It swept two games in Monterrey against the Angels in May 2019.

    The Astros also played exhibition games in Mexico against the Padres in 2016 and Marlins in 2004.

    The Rockies also had played in Mexico before. They beat San Diego in Monterrey in their 1999 season opener.

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    Carlos Rodriguez

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  • Pache’s single, Harper’s catch in 10th inning lift Phillies past Rockies

    Pache’s single, Harper’s catch in 10th inning lift Phillies past Rockies

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    PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cristian Pache hit a walk-off single with one out in the 10th inning after Bryce Harper made a leaping, run-saving catch in the top of the frame to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

    Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland appeared to injure his right, non-throwing shoulder while being used as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning.

    Harper also had an RBI single.

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    Aaron Bracy, Associated Press

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  • Rockies’ late rally falls short, as Colorado swept by Cubs to finish opening road trip 1-6

    Rockies’ late rally falls short, as Colorado swept by Cubs to finish opening road trip 1-6

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    If the Rockies’ opening road trip is any indication, the club’s first 100-loss season last year might’ve just been a harbinger.

    Colorado dropped to 1-6 in 2024 with a 9-8 loss to the Cubs on a chilly Wednesday night at Wrigley Field. The Rockies roared back with a five-run eighth to tie the game, but then faltered in the bottom of that inning to get swept in three games.

    “That was a tough trip,” manager Bud Black told reporters. “We didn’t pitch great, we didn’t swing the bats great. (That rally) was a good sign though.”

    Once again, subpar starting pitching was a factor, as right-hander Cal Quantrill gave up four runs through four innings. The bullpen wasn’t any better, and the Rockies head into their home opener on Friday against the Rays already in a hole.

    After setting the Cubs down in order in the first, Quantrill ran into trouble in the second inning as the Rockies went down 4-0.

    The frame started innocently enough with Christopher Morel’s infield single, but quickly snowballed. A pair of sacrifice flies plated two runs, then Seiya Suzuki brought home two more with a single to right before Charlie Blackmon got the Rockies out of the inning by gunning Suzuki at second base.

    After hard-throwing southpaw Luke Little served as the Cubs’ opener and went one-two-three in the first, Chicago brought on right-hander Ben Brown, who gave up one earned run over four innings.

    In the fifth, Suzuki dinged left-hander Jalen Beeks for a solo homer to extend the Cubs’ lead to 5-0.

    Jacob Stallings led off the sixth with a double, chasing Brown from the game, and Kris Bryant’s first hit of the season — a single to left — scored Stallings to get Colorado on the board. A Morel throwing throwing error led to another run to make it 5-2.

    But Chicago responded in the sixth by plating three runs off Tyler Kinley, as Kinley couldn’t make it out of the inning before being spelled by fellow right-hander Jake Bird. Michael Busch led off with a single off Kinley, then Nico Hoerner and Mike Tauchman both walked to load the bases.

    Miguel Amaya’s single then plated three runs, two off the hit and another off a throwing error by center fielder Brenton Doyle. Errors in the outfield have been a consistent theme through the Rockies’ early ugly stretch, a disappointment for a defense that was projected to be the strength of the team.

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    Kyle Newman

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  • Rockies Journal: Dorothy adores baseball but these Rox are testing her love

    Rockies Journal: Dorothy adores baseball but these Rox are testing her love

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    PHOENIX — Dorothy Star grew up outside Boston, so she’s a baseball fanatic. She knows about the Curse of the Bambino, Fenway Park, Carl Yastrzemski, Bucky Dent, Billy Buckner and the 1986 World Series.

    “I think I understand baseball passion,” she said.

    Dorothy and her husband, Vic, have been married for 43 years. They moved to Colorado 40 years ago, and when the Rockies were born in 1993, Dorothy immediately adopted the team as her own.

    She loved the Blake Street Bombers, reveled in Rocktober, and marveled at Nolan Arenado.

    “It used to be so much fun to go to Coors Field,” she said.

    Though she lives in Frisco, Dorothy estimates she’s attended about half of the Rockies’ home games.

    “I’ve never left a game early,” she said.

    When the team unveiled Rockies.TV, its new streaming service, she signed up immediately.

    “I wanted to be able to watch some spring training games,” she said. “I wanted to see some of the young players.”

    Dorothy wants to continue attending games, but that won’t be easy. She is 76, has lived with leukemia for 17 years, and has other health issues. She and Vic are contemplating moving to Denver for better health care access.

    Dorothy tries to keep her life in perspective.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Kyle Freeland’s changeup was big problem in Rockies’ historic loss to Diamondbacks

    Kyle Freeland’s changeup was big problem in Rockies’ historic loss to Diamondbacks

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    PHOENIX — The Rockies claim they don’t have a hangover from Thursday night’s 16-1 loss to the Diamondbacks, but there were lessons learned for starter Kyle Freeland.

    Lesson No. 1: Find a way to throw a more effective changeup, which the left-hander hopes will be a big weapon for him this season.

    To recap the season opener at Chase Field, Freeland was ripped for 10 runs on 10 hits in just 2 1/3 innings, including a two-run homer to Lourdes Gurriel in the first inning. The 10 runs Freeland surrendered were a career-high. The third inning was 34 minutes of batting practice for the D-backs, who sent 18 batters to the plate and scored 14 runs, the most in an inning on opening day for any team since 1900. Freeland was charged with eight runs in the inning, and rookie reliever Anthony Molina was charged with six.

    Freeland acknowledged his poor pitch location but credited Arizona’s aggressive hitters.

    “They put the ball in play,” Freeland said Thursday night. “That’s what hitters are paid to do — put the ball in play, create action on the basepaths — a lot of singles, and/or doubles, balls hit soft, seeing-eye ground balls. It was just everything that they were hitting.”

    Before Friday’s game, manager Bud Black said that a video review of Freeland’s career-worst performance revealed some clues as to what went wrong.

    “I suspected that there were some locations missed, and that was the case,” Black said. “If I was going to pick on any particular pitch, I would think that the changeup was a bit too hard. There were some 88 and 89 mph changeups. The (Christian) Walker double, 89. The (Ketel) Marte groundball up the middle that (shortstop) Ezequiel (Tovar) almost had, 88. During spring training, Kyle was trying to get the changeup down to 85-86.”

    Freeland changed the grip on his changeup during the offseason and said during spring training that he was getting comfortable with the pitch. He admitted, however, that the changeup can be problematic for him.

    “That changeup has always been a pitch that’s kind of been a bugaboo,” he said during camp. “You find it, then you lose it and you’re searching for it again. My confidence is definitely back on that pitch.”

    Maybe so, but command of all of his pitches deserted him Thursday night.

    “Last night, (there was a lot of) adrenaline, his arm felt good, an extra day’s rest — all of those things,” Black said. “The changeup was just coming in too hot. Too much velocity. And the location of all of his pitchers was not Kyle-like.”

    Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland pauses on the pitcher’s mound during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • One area where Rockies could be elite this season? In the field: “We have a shot of being the best of the best”

    One area where Rockies could be elite this season? In the field: “We have a shot of being the best of the best”

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    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Chances are the Rockies’ record won’t glitter this season, but their defense should be golden.

    With Gold Glove winners in center field and at second base, Gold Glove finalists at shortstop and third, and potential sprinkled all around the field, Colorado should have one of the best defenses in the majors.

    “I think we have a good shot at being the best of the best,” said second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who won a Gold Glove in 2022.

    Manager Bud Black agrees.

    “If you love the complete game of baseball, and defense is a big part of that, you’ll like watching us,” he said. “Every night, there is a chance to see a legit great play from talented defenders.”

    The Rockies open their 2024 season Thursday night against the defending National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (8:10 p.m. MDT).

    Coming off a 103-loss season and having undergone only minor roster reconstruction during the offseason, the rebuilding Rockies are predicted by most pundits to have a sixth consecutive losing season and finish last in the National League West for a third straight year. Although the pitching might falter again, and offensive production remains a huge question mark, Colorado’s glovework could be “elite.”

    “We have guys who know how to pick it and throw it and ultimately play elite all-around defense,” said left-hander Kyle Freeland, who’ll start the season-opener.

    The Rockies’ words are not idle chatter around the batting cage.

    Center fielder Brenton Doyle, Colorado’s human highlight film, won a Gold Glove as a rookie last season. He finished with 19 defensive runs saved, the sixth-most among all position players and the most of any center fielder in the majors.

    Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, who signed a seven-year, $65.3 million contract extension on Tuesday, was a Gold Glove finalist as a rookie last season. Third baseman Ryan McMahon has been a finalist for three years running, and his 17 defensive runs saved last season were the second-most among third basemen.

    Left fielder Nolan Jones, playing his first full season as an outfielder, led the majors and set a franchise record with 19 outfield assists, surpassing Dante Bichette’s mark of 17 in 1999. Jones finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar’s $63.5 million contract carries big expectations

    Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar’s $63.5 million contract carries big expectations

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    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Rockies figure they hit the jackpot with shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. On Tuesday, they rewarded him with a life-changing contract.

    “It’s a blessing and I’m so excited that the Rockies believed in me, and I’m excited to be here for a long time,” the 22-year-old said after officially signing a $63.5 million, seven-year contract extension. The deal includes a team option for 2031 that could boost the agreement to $84 million over eight seasons.

    The Rockies have known about Tovar since he was a 13-year-old kid in Maracay, Venezuela. He first grabbed the attention of Frank Roa, one of the Rockies’ Latin American scouts. A year later, Roa insisted that Rolando Fernandez, Colorado’s vice president of international scouting and development, see Tovar up close and personal.

    “I went to the Roberto Vahlis Baseball Academy in the Dominican (Republic) with Frank,” Fernandez recalled. “We went to see another player. Tovar was just 14, and he was just 5-foot-8, 145 pounds at the time. But Roa told me that he had been following Tovar and he was the best player in the academy. We decided to stay close to him and continued to evaluate him until his eligible age.”

    Fernandez signed Tovar for $800,000 on Aug. 1, 2017 — Tovar’s 16th birthday. The Rockies thought they had discovered a special player. They were right.

    As a rookie last season, Tovar was a National League Gold Glove finalist and led the Rockies with 153 games played. He slashed .253/.287/.408 with 15 home runs, 37 doubles, four triples, 73 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. His 37 doubles were tied with Hall of Famer Todd Helton (1998) for the most by a rookie in franchise history.

    Blessed with a strong arm, quick feet and excellent hand-eye coordination, Tovar is a steady presence at shortstop and capable of highlight-reel plays. In 2023, he was credited with 13 defensive runs saved, ranking fourth among major league shortstops. His 16 outs above average were tied for the sixth-most among all position players and second among shortstops.

    He said that’s just the beginning.

    “I felt like I belonged here when I made my start in big leagues,” Tovar said, referring to his debut on Sept. 23, 2022. “I think the overall experience, and being around the veteran players, has made me better. I’ve learned to be a big leaguer.”

    The Rockies, Tovar and Tovar’s agent worked out the new contract in about a week. Both sides were eager to reach a long-term deal.

    “Something that everybody should understand is that he wants to be here,” manager Bud Black said. “That speaks volumes.”

    Tovar received a $1.5 million signing bonus and salaries of $1.5 million this season, $4 million in 2025, $5 million in 2026, $8 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028, $14 million in 2029 and $16 million in 2030. The Rockies hold the option for $23 million in 2031 with a $2.5 million buyout.

    “First and foremost, we believe in him and what he has a chance to be down the road,” general manager Bill Schmidt said. “He has a chance to be a very, very good player. We believe in him, and like a lot of our young players, he’s somebody we can build around.”

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Rockies Journal: Questions to ponder as regular season nears, including cable TV situation that remains unresolved

    Rockies Journal: Questions to ponder as regular season nears, including cable TV situation that remains unresolved

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    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Questions to ponder as the Rockies near Thursday’s season-opener against the Diamondbacks:

    Will fans be able to watch games via traditional cable?: The Rockies continue to say that negotiations are ongoing to find a way for fans to watch games on systems like Comcast, Dish Network or DirectTV. I was originally told that a deal would hopefully be worked out before the regular season begins. However, there are no guarantees that’s going to happen, leaving some fans in limbo.

    Will fans pay to stream games via Rockies.TV?: That’s the multi-million-dollar question facing owner Dick Monfort. The club launched its online streaming service last month. Rockies.TV will show all Rockies games this season, with Major League Baseball producing and distributing the games.

    MLB will also remove blackouts for fans, meaning that for the first time, fans in the Rockies’ traditional TV territory can live stream all of the club’s games. To stream Rockies games only, the cost will be $19.99 per month or $99.99 for the season.

    Streaming all sports, not just baseball, is the wave of the future. But several disgruntled fans have told me they won’t pay $19.99 monthly to watch a team that lost 103 games last season. I’m not sure I believe many of them. Baseball is part of the fabric of summer, and I think fans would miss tuning in to the local team more than they realize.

    Still, it’s going to be a hard sell. Two years ago, the Rockies drew an average of just 15,000 household viewers per game via traditional TV, according to Forbes and Nielsen Media. Only the Miami Marlins and Oakland Athletics had worse ratings.

    Will attendance tumble at Coors Field?: A little bit, but I don’t see a giant slide. Last season, the Rockies averaged 32,196 fans per game at Coors Field, down only slightly from the 32,467 average from 2022. Even if the Rockies stumble early — a distinct possibility — they have the Red Sox coming into town for three games after the All-Star Game and they end the season with the Cardinals and Dodgers coming to LoDo for what could be meaningful games for the visitors.

    Which Rockies will make the All-Star Game?: We know every team sends at least one player to the Midsummer Classic, but I’ll give you three Rockies who could end up at Globe Life Field on July 16 in Arlington, Texas.

    Topping my list is left fielder Nolan Jones, a terrific athlete who has a chance to be an impactful power hitter. On deck is second baseman Brendan Rodgers. He’s had an excellent spring, and his confidence is sky-high.

    My wild-card choice is veteran lefty Kyle Freeland. Manager Bud Black said recently that he’s never seen Freeland pitch better. That’s saying something, considering that Freeland went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA over 33 starts in 2018.

    Will the “real” Kris Bryant finally show up?: I want to say yes because he’s very well-liked by his teammates and he’s a class act. He’s got a beautiful swing and is a graceful athlete. But I don’t know what KB has left at age 32 following two years of injuries that limited him to 122 games in a Rockies uniform.

    If he stays healthy and plays 145-150 games, I could envision him hitting .280 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs. But he’s never going to hit .292 with 39 homers and 102 RBIs as he did in 2016 when he was named National League MVP and helped lead the Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Rockies spring training recap: Prospect Yanquiel Fernandez shows off power, Jaden Hill throws 99.2 mph fastball

    Rockies spring training recap: Prospect Yanquiel Fernandez shows off power, Jaden Hill throws 99.2 mph fastball

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    Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 2
    Saturday at Salt River Fields

    On the mound: Right-hander Noah Davis, competing for a spot in the back of the rotation, pitched two scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking one and striking out three. Davis threw 40 pitches (with 23 strikes) while mixing in all five of his pitches. He said that his game plan going into his first Cactus League start was to work on all of his pitches — sinker, curve, cutter, slider and curveball. Manager Bud Black said he wants to see more pitch efficiency from Davis.  … Lefty prospect Joe Rock had a rough two innings, yielding five runs (four earned) on four hits, with one walk, one strikeout and a wild pitch that allowed a run to score. He’s pegged as a starter in the minors to begin the season.

    At the plate: Outfield prospect Yanquiel Fernandez, who boasts intriguing power, hit a 419-foot solo homer to right in the sixth inning off of lefty Andrew Saalfrank. Fernandez nearly hit another homer in the ninth but just got under the ball and lifted it to the right-field warning track.

    Injury update: Starting third baseman Ryan McMahon made a nice play by diving and throwing out a runner at second base in the third inning, but stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes after tweaking his lower back. He stayed in the game, however, and got another at-bat. “It was just a small spasm and I waited for it to calm down,” McMahon said. “It’s fine now.”

    Prospect watch: Right-hander Jaden Hill, who’s been converted from a starter to a reliever, threw a perfect seventh inning, striking out two. Hill’s hottest fastball was clocked at 99.2 mph.

    Rockies 5, A’s 1
    Saturday at Hohokam Stadium

    Peter Lambert (20) of the Colorado Rockies works against the the Oakland A’s during Colorado’s 5-1 Spring Training win at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    On the mound: Right-hander Peter Lambert, the favorite to win the fifth spot in the rotation, pitched two scoreless innings, allowing no hits while walking two. … All told, seven Colorado pitchers combined to limit Oakland to three hits and two walks while striking out six.

    At the plate: Michael Toglia, trying to stake his claim in the crowded position battle at first base/right field, hit a solo homer off Osvaldo Bido in the fourth. … Outfield prospect Jimmy Herron had two hits and drove in two runs.

    Jimmy Herron dives towards second against the the Oakland A's during Colorado's 5-1 Spring Training win at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
    Jimmy Herron dives towards second against the the Oakland A’s during Colorado’s 5-1 Spring Training win at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    Prospect watch: Infielder Aaron Schunk, who’s pegged to begin the season at Triple-A Albuquerque, hit 1-for-1 and scored a run.

    Up next: Rockies at Brewers, 1:10 p.m. Sunday

    Rockies probable pitchers: RHP Karl Kauffman, RHP Anthony Molina, RHP Justin Lawrence, RHP Chance Adams, RHP Riley Pint, RHP Matt Koch.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Justin Lawrence has right stuff to be Rockies’ closer — if he can harness it

    Justin Lawrence has right stuff to be Rockies’ closer — if he can harness it

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    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — June 13, 2023, Fenway Park, Boston. Rockies 4, Red Sox 4. Seventh inning. Justin Lawrence trots out from the bullpen and hikes the mound.

    “I came into a jam in a tight ballgame and I caught myself singing the ‘Sweet Caroline’ song,” the Rockies’ right-hander recalled Wednesday. “I was looking around and I thought, ‘This is kind of cool.’

    “Then I thought, ‘Wait a minute, it’s a tie ballgame in the seventh inning, I’m coming in to get us out of a jam, and it’s my first time ever at Fenway.’ It didn’t matter, it was a fun moment.”

    Lawrence pitched 1 2/3 innings that night, and although he issued two walks, he allowed no runs, stranded two inherited runners, and kept Colorado in a game it eventually won, 7-6, in 10 innings.

    It wasn’t the singular moment of Lawrence’s career but it illustrates how far he’s come since being a raw prospect with a unique, sidewinder delivery, 102 mph fastball and frequent bouts of inconsistency.

    Justin Lawrence (61) of the Colorado Rockies warms up during Spring Training at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    “There are two main things about Justin,” manager Bud Black said. “On the fundamental side, he’s tightened up his stuff. Secondly, I’ve seen changes in his poise and maturity. In essence, he’s grown up to where his perspective and his mindset are of major league quality.”

    Lawrence, 29, is competing with friend and fellow right-hander Tyler Kinley for the closer job. Righty Daniel Bard, who will miss spring training after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, could be in the mix, too, when he returns.

    Black and his staff are going to take a hard look at both Lawrence and Kinley for the ninth-inning role.

    “We think (Kinley) is mentally built to handle the ninth inning,” Black said. “Stuff-wise, he’s got weapons. He can pitch with velocity with the fastball, has a swing-and-miss slider and he’s working on the changeup. The bread and butter is his slider. But like Justin, he’s not a secret anymore in the National League and in our division.”

    Lawrence’s road to the majors has been full of potholes but he’s always had tantalizing talent. Black became intrigued with Lawrence’s raw stuff in 2018 when the right-hander posted a 2.65 ERA in 55 appearances with High-A Lancaster. Lawrence wowed the Rockies in the Arizona Fall League and impressed again during spring training 2019. But then his control evaporated and his ERA soared at Triple-A Albuquerque and Double-A Hartford.

    Then came the lowest moment of Lawrence’s career. He was suspended before the 2020 season for taking DHCMT, a substance banned by Major League Baseball. Lawrence said he didn’t know that the NSF-certified supplement he was taking contained DHCMT.

    “I wouldn’t wish what I had to go through on my worst enemy,” Lawrence said later.

    With those struggles behind him, he now has an opportunity to lock down his dream job.

    “I like the idea of going in to get the saves and the holds,” he said. “I don’t feel out of my element at all, and I don’t feel like the game speeds up on me or anything like that. I mean, this is what a competitor wants. As a kid, you want to be the starter, or the four-hole hitter, or the closer. It would be awesome to be the closer, but I came to camp ready to prepare for whatever role the team needs me for.”

    Justin Lawrence (61) jokes with Lucas Gilbreath (58) of the Colorado Rockies during Spring Training at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
    Justin Lawrence (61) jokes with Lucas Gilbreath (58) of the Colorado Rockies during Spring Training at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    Lawrence’s 2023 season was a mixed bag. He posted a 1.47 ERA in 15 appearances and moved into the closer role in June when Pierce Johnson (later traded to Atlanta) started walking batters in droves. In his first 17 games as the closer, Lawrence converted seven of eight save opportunities while posting a 1.86 ERA. But he slumped in the second half of the season and lost the closer job to Kinley in early September.

    Lawrence’s first- and second-half splits illustrate his inconsistency. In 38 appearances before the All-Star break, he had a 2.76 ERA and opponents slashed just .188/.284/.269 against him. In the second half, his ERA soared to 5.22 in 31 outings and opponents slashed .299/.400/.470.

    “I liked everything about last season — the good, the bad and the ugly,” he said. “I liked the bad and the ugly because I learned from those things. I also loved that I was healthy the whole year and that when Buddy asked, ‘Hey, are you good to go?’ I was available.”

    Lawrence is also aware that volitivity is part of a reliever’s life.

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    Patrick Saunders

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