The historically bad 2025 Colorado Rockies look very different than they did when the season began in a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
With this in mind, the staff at Purple Row felt it would be useful to revisit the “State of the Position” series that we run in March as a season preview.
We’ve also asked authors of the spring pieces to re-evaluate their earlier remarks with an eye toward the trade deadline.
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What I said in March
Wow are things different than they were in March.
Back then, I predicted that
Ryan Feltner would be the only definite lock for the 2025 rotation. He was... until he went on the Injured List in May with back spasms. Feltner was them transferred to the 60-day on June 15 and was activated on July 4, but immediately optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.
I also predicted that Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber should be locks. Freeland was the Opening Day starter for the fourth time in his career while Gomber started off 2025 on the IL with left shoulder soreness. He was also placed on the 60-day on April 19, but finally got back to the rotation on June 15.
And finally, I predicted that Germán Márquez and Antonio Senzatela would make their ways back from Tommy John surgery, which they both did.
What I did not quite predict was the rise of some of the young starters.
I anticipated that Chase Dollander might make his MLB debut after a stellar spring, which he did. I also thought Carson Palmquist might make it, but Sean Sullivan and Gabriel Hughes have yet to see MLB action (which has worked out, because that would’ve likely meant more injuries to an already-decimated rotation).
Oh, and the Rockies changed managers, too, moving from former pitcher Bud Black to interim manager Warren Schaeffer. That was not something I saw coming.
Where the Rockies are now
The Opening Day Starters
My Opening Day rotation was 100% accurate minus Gomber, as the Rockies chose to start with a four-man rotation through the first few weeks. It wasn’t until they called up Dollander on April 6 that they had a full five-man (more on that later).
The rotation started off strong, posting a 2.08 ERA through the first eight games of the season (two starts per pitcher). That was second in the league, sandwiched between the Los Angeles Dodgers (1.47) and New York Mets (2.27) during that same span. Over the next eight games, that number ballooned to a 4.68 after posting a league-worst 7.40 during that span. That dropped them from second in the league to 23rd. As a rotation, they currently have a league-worst 6.19 ERA, which is a full point behind the Baltimore Orioles (5.19).
Kyle Freeland has pitched 17 games and has a 1-10 record with a 5.44 ERA. His biggest problem has been the lack of run support.
Germán Márquez has bounced back beautifully after his Tommy John surgery. In 19 starts this year, Márquez has a 3-10 record and 5.57 ERA, but that total does not reflect the effectiveness over his last six starts.
Antonio Senzatela, on the other hand, has struggled mightily. Among the three Opening Day starters who are still on the active roster, he has a 3-13 record and 6.60 ERA in 19 appearances (18 starts). He has allowed 74 runs (67 earned), including 16 home runs, and has 33 walks to 49 strikeouts. Senzatela still has three years left on his five-year, $50.5 million contract but there is a club option for 2027. It will be interesting to see if the Rockies pick it up, but they have a lot of thinking to do about his future with the team.
Ryan Feltner started just about where he left off. He made six starts before going on the IL, posting a 4.75 ERA and 0-2 record. He had a bad start on April 15 — allowing five runs on five hits with six walks and one strikeout over just 2 2⁄3 innings — but bounced back in his next start. He allowed more than two earned runs twice (also April 28, where he gave up five on 10 hits with four strikeouts and a walk). He has yet to pitch for the Rockies when Bud Black is not the manager.
The Late Additions
Due to the injuries to Gomber and Feltner, the Rockies were forced to call up long-term rookie reinforcements.
The first was RHP Chase Dollander, who made his MLB debut against the Oakland Sacramento Las Vegas A’s on April 6. Dollander showed flashes early (and plenty of confidence), but unfortunately the results never came about. In 15 starts and just 68 2⁄3 innings, Dollander gave up 15 home runs. For comparison, Senzatela has given up 16 in 91 1⁄3 innings and Márquez has given up 12 in 95 1⁄3. He gave up at least one homer in 10 of his starts. After trying to work through it and become the ‘pitcher of the future,’ Dollander was optioned to Triple-A on July 7. In one start in Albuquerque since then, Dollander has made one start and lasted five innings, allowing five runs on six hits with one home run, three walks and three strikeouts.
The second was LHP Carson Palmquist, who made his MLB debut on May 16 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In seven total starts, Palmquist posted a 7.63 ERA and 0-4 record. He gave up at least two runs in each of his starts, and only had one game where he did not give up multiple walks. Palmquist was optioned back to Albuquerque on June 22. Since being there, Palmquist has made three starts. He has thrown 20 innings and allowed seven runs on 18 hits with three homers, nine walks and 19 strikeouts.
The Spot Starters
In addition to the two rookies, the Rockies also called upon the services of RHP’s Bradley Blalock and Tanner Gordon to make a few spot starts.
Blalock has made four starts in total, and has a 0-2 record with a 3.38 ERA. Gordon made three starts and has a 1-2 record with a 5.29 ERA. He did, however, out-duel the New York Yankees on May 23, so that merits some kudos!
Up-and-Comers
Beyond these guys, the two that stand out who haven’t yet made MLB debuts are LHP Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) and RHP Gabriel Hughes (No. 11 PuRP).
Sullivan is currently in Double-A with the Hartford Yard Goats. He was injured to start the season, and didn’t take the mound until May 3. He made two rehab starts — one with the ACL Rockies and one with the Fresno Grizzlies — before returning to action. He has made 11 starts with the Goats, and boasts a 2.93 ERA over 61 1⁄3 innings.
Hughes started the year in Hartford, but was promoted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes on May 31 after posting a 3.07 ERA in nine starts in Hartford. He was also named Rockies Organizational Pitcher of the Month for April. Unfortunately, Hughes has been rocked in Albuquerque, which is to be expected to an extent. He has a 9.19 ERA in four starts, but then was placed on the IL with shoulder impingement. However, he is expected to make a rehab start soon and can hopefully make it back to the ‘Topes rotation.
Closing Thoughts
The Rockies rotation is pretty straightforward when they’re all healthy: Freeland, Márquez, Senzatela, Feltner and Gomber. With the injuries, Dollander and Palmquist were the next long-term men up.
If/when Márquez and/or Gomber get traded, and/or Senzatela gets moved to the bullpen or released... that’s when things get more interesting.
Looking ahead to next year, that likely means that Dollander and Palmquist might break with the team, and potentially Sullivan or Hughes. The Rockies also drafted 14 pitchers again this year in hopes of developing more home-grown arms. That continues to be a pattern, it’s just a matter of if they can develop them properly into major league starters.
Another noticeable difference is the post-Bud Black rotation. In 56 games since Black was fired, the rotation has a 5.55 ERA, 6.14 K/9, 3.28 BB/9, 1.48 HR/9, .321 BABIP, 38.4 GB% and 12.1 HR/FB%. In the 40 games that he managed, the Rockies posted a 7.09 ERA, 6.02 K/9, 2.84 BB/9, 1.45 HR/9, .359 BABIP, 46.9 GB% and 13.3 HR/FB%. The comparison is imperfect, but it’s worth pointing out.
Black emphasized pitching low and away to induce ground balls, which the pitching staff prioritized under his tenure. However, Schaeffer and Darryl Scott seem to be allowing pitchers to throw more to their strengths, which is inducing different results.
Whether that will be successful long-term has yet to be seen.
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- Wednesday Rockpile: What’s the plan with Orlando Arcia?
- Colorado Rockies minor league game thread: May 29th, 2025
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- Weekly Pebble Report: Charlie Condon is focused on the present and looking towards the future (May 20th-May 26th)
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