The Rockies’ search for starting pitching is never-ending but their avenues are limited.
Trying to land high-priced free agents is not part of their plan, and quality pitchers don’t want to come to Colorado anyway. Draft-and-develop is the Rockies’ preferred method to build a roster, but injuries to pitchers such as right-hander Peter Lambert and lefty Ryan Rolison have created a detour.
Making a trade is always possible, but the Rockies, who like to hold on to their young players, are one of the least active teams in the majors when it comes to swapping players. Perhaps general manager Bill Schmidt, soon to enter his second offseason, will change that and be open to shopping prospects. Then again, a centerfielder who can hit leadoff sits atop the Rockies’ wish list.
All of this brings us to right-hander Jose Urena, who is soon scheduled to become a free agent. Could the veteran be the middle-of-the-rotation starter the Rockies need? Will the 31-year-old even entertain the idea of staying in Colorado?
He threw the door wide open Monday night after he held the Dodgers to five hits with four strikeouts and no walks in Colorado’s 2-1 victory at Los Angeles.
“I said it first thing: I am so thankful for this organization, what they did for me,” Urena told reporters in Los Angeles Monday night. “I’d be open. I like to play here.”
That was music to manager Bud Black’s ears.
“The way he’s thrown, we’re going to have a look at it when he goes into free agency,” Black told reporters. “And in all honesty, he’s going to do the same, as it relates to us. So that’s a good thing.”
Indications are that the Rockies have a stronger interest in re-signing Urena than they do right-hander Chad Kuhl, who’s also scheduled to become a free agent. Urena has a spotty track record but he had solid seasons with Miami in 2017 (3.82 ERA) and 2018 (3.98).
Urena, who began the season as a reliever with the Brewers before they released him at the end of April, owns a 5.01 ERA. But he’s got good stuff and he’s worked overtime to improve his slider and changeup with the goal of getting more groundballs at Coors Field.
“He’s shown the durability to make his starts, make every side session, and within that, he’s held his stuff,” Black said. “Every start, stuff-wise, has been as consistent as a starting pitcher can be. By that, I mean velocity range on the fastball, movement to the fastball, the velocities and movement on his secondary pitches. He has not in any start had less stuff than any previous start.”
Through his past five starts, Urena is 0-2 with a 2.25 ERA, allowing no more than two earned runs in each start while pitching at least five innings each time. He started his Rockies career strong, making three consecutive quality starts from July 6-16, going 1-1 with a 1.45 ERA.
But then he pitched poorly and there were several ugly outings, most notably his start on Aug. 24 vs. Texas at Coors when he became the first Rockies pitcher in franchise history to allow at least nine hits and nine earned runs in 1 1/3 innings or fewer. On July 28th against the Dodgers, he gave up 10 runs (seven earned) in three innings.
Also, Urena walked 4.1 hitters per nine innings, the highest rate among all of Colorado’s starters this season.
In other words, Urena has been prone to meltdowns. In 17 starts with Colorado, Urena had seven quality starts, but has also allowed five or more earned runs four times. Can the Rockies trust him to clean that up?
At Coors Field, Urena was 2-5 with a 6.30 ERA in eight starts, with a 1.73 WHIP and a .311 opponents’ batting average. Toss out the debacle against the Rangers and his ERA falls to 4.42.
The bottom line: as with all of the Rockies’ starters, there are major question marks about Urena.
On Deck
Rockies TBA at Dodgers TBA
2:20 p.m. Wednesday, Dodger Stadium
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
Right-hander Chad Kuhl was penciled in to start for Colorado in the season finale, but he was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a right triceps strain. The Rockies recalled Noah Davis from the taxi squad to replace Kuhl on the roster. Davis, who has yet to make his big-league debut, could start for Colorado, but it’s more likely that lefty Austin Gomber, who’s been working as a long reliever, will start the game. Gomber is 5-7 with a 5.62 ERA in 32 games (16 starts).
Lefty Clayton Kershaw was originally tabbed to start for the Dodgers on Wednesday, and he still might, but if he does he’s likely to pitch only a couple of innings as the Dodgers prepare for the postseason. Kershaw has had an excellent 2022, even though he’s spent time on the injured list. The future Hall of Famer is 11-3 with a 2.30 ERA.
Trending: With their 2-1 victory over the Dodgers Monday night, the Rockies became the first team in major league history to win back-to-back games in the regular season against a team with 110-plus wins entering the game.
At issue: Corner infielder Elehuris Montero entered Tuesday night’s game slashing .200/.279/.418 since Sept. 1 after slashing .279/.296/.532 in August.
