Let’s do some roster speculating.
Let’s use tonight’s Purple Row After Dark to build on a conversation started this morning in Skyler Timmins’ Rockpile about the Colorado Rockies needing more length from their starting rotation.
In Thomas Harding’s last week, yesterday, Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes made clear that the Rockies are looking for a couple of veteran starters. His description is worth repeating:
“We’ve played out scenarios where we would attempt to bring in two guys who can stabilize that area [emphasis added] — who can not only pitch well but know how to give us some bulk innings, which any team needs,” Byrnes said. “That’s probably how we’re trying to map it out. There is a lot of unknown with what pops up in trades or free agency, but we need to add in that area.”
Pitchers have so rarely chosen to pitch in Colorado’s taxing and hitter-friendly altitude that recent front offices all but swore off chasing free agents. But Byrnes said early feedback suggests pitchers are more willing to listen than has been believed in recent years.
“There are different tiers of free agency,” Byrnes said. “It’s kind of interesting, without naming names. But with guys on shorter deals, I think there’s some intrigue. Everyone around the game knows it’s harder to pitch in Colorado, but I think a couple of guys want to take on that challenge, and we’ve brought in a pitching group that will turn over every rock to get at it and solve this thing.”
We know that reporting indicates the Rockies have a deal with Michael Lorenzen, even though it has not yet been made official.
That leaves one other spot for a veteran starter.
MLB Trade Rumors elaborated on Harding’s story, suggesting that Alex Cobb, Patrick Corbin, Miles Mikolas, Wade Miley, Jose Quintana, and Martín Pérez were all over 35 and might be open to signing a one-year deal.
According to MLB.com, these are the following remaining free agent starters:
- Framber Valdez (32, 7.7)
- Ranger Suárez (30, 7.5)
- Nick Martinez (35, 5.5)
- Chris Bassitt (37, 4.8)
- Zac Gallen (30, 3.9)
- Zack Littell (30, 3.7)
- Patrick Corbin (36, 3.6)
- Erick Fedde (33, 3.2)
- Justin Verlander (43, 2.9)
- Miles Mikolas (37, 2.2)
- Nestor Cortes (31, 2.1)
- Lucas Giolito (30, 2.0)
- Jose Quintana (37, 1.9)
- Aaron Civale (31, 1.8)
- Chris Paddack (30, 1.8)
- Frankie Montas (33, 1.3)
- Martín Pérez (35, 1.3)
- Griffin Canning (30, 1.0)
- Marcus Stroman (35, 1.0)
- Max Scherzer (41, 1.0)
- Jordan Montgomery (33, 0.6)
- John Means (33, 0.5)
- Alex Cobb (38, 0.3)
- Tomoyuki Sugano (36, 0.1)
- José Urquidy (31, 0.0)
- Tony Gonsolin (32, -0.1)
- Mike Clevinger (35, -0.2)
- Wade Miley (39, -0.2)
- Walker Buehler (31, -0.4)
- Anthony DeSclafani (36, -0.7)
And I’ve decided it’s worth listing former Rockies in a separate section since they strike me as intriguing candidates for a possible return:
- Tyler Anderson (36, 1.6)
- Chris Flexen (31, 1.0)
- Austin Gomber (32, 0.9)
- Jon Gray (34, 1.4)
- Germán Márquez (31, 0.2)
- Cal Quantrill (31, 0.9)
- José Ureña (34, 0.0)
So with that in mind, Purple Row night owls, if you’re the Rockies, which pitcher/s strike you as the best fit at this particular moment in the rebuild, and who’s in your projected 2026 starting rotation?
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!
Category: General Sports
