Colorado’s two-year streak of reaching the postseason came to a screeching halt a year ago as the Rox slipped to a 71-91 record. After a very quiet offseason and with the potential of trading star third baseman Nolan Arenado this year, it could be a long 2020 campaign in Denver. Let’s check the MLB Odds and World Series Odds for the Colorado Rockies 2020 Season.
Colorado Rockies 2020 Pre-Season Analysis
Colorado Rockies Offensive Analysis
No question that the Rockies shopped superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado this offseason but for now the team will keep the perennial MVP candidate. Last year, Arenado finished the season among NL leaders in hits (185-3rd), total bases (343-3rd), RBI (118-T4), batting average (.315-5th), slugging percentage (.583-5th), home runs (41-T5), and OPS (.962-5th). His batting average and on-base percentage were both career highs.
Arenado became Is the second Rockies player in franchise history to have three seasons with at least 40 home runs, joining Vinny Castilla (1996-98). Arenado, Castilla, Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews the only third baseman (min. 75% of games at the position) to have three 40-home run seasons. Defensively, Arenado ranked first among NL third basemen in total chances per nine innings (3.12), assists per nine innings (2.30), fielding percentage (.920) and zone rating (.827).
Outfielder Charlie Blackmon also had a fine season. He ranked first in the NL, second in MLB, batting .385 (42-for-109) with runners in scoring position. Overall, Blackmon finished among NL leaders in extra-base hits (81-T3), doubles (42-4th, career high), hits (182-4th), triples (7-T4), runs (112-5th), batting average (.314-6th), slugging percentage (.576-7th), and OPS (.940-8th).
Shortstop Trevor Story set new career highs in runs (111), batting average (.294) and on-base percentage (.363). Story hit 35 home runs, making him the first shortstop in MLB history to begin his career with four consecutive seasons of 20 or more home runs.
Overall, the Rockies ranked first in the NL with 323 doubles and 41 triples, second with a .456 slugging percentage, third with 1,503 strikeouts, fourth with 835 runs, seventh with a .326 on-base percentage, eighth with 224 home runs and 12th with 489 walks. Their 224 home runs were the second most in franchise history. However, per usual the Rockies mashed the ball at home but really struggled on the road.
Colorado Rockies Pitching Analysis
This is usually the problem with Rockies teams and likely will be again in 2020 with no true ace. Jon Gray projects as the No. 1 and he went 11-8 with a 3.84 ERA last year. Gray pitched 150 innings for an 82 DRA (18% better than average) after league and park factors were taken into account. By WARP, it was Gray’s best year in the majors. The 28-year-old saw his season cut short by a left foot fracture, and he was placed on the 60-day injured list on August 21. Gray could take off after undergoing left foot surgery to correct a stress fracture that had bothered him for years.
All five starters in the Rockies’ Opening Day rotation were on the injured list for most of September. German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and Jeff Hoffman should round out the rotation
Marquez (12-5, 4.76) made 28 starts before being placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 26 with right arm inflammation and that ended his season. At the time he was placed on the injured list, led the National League with 174.0 innings pitched, was tied for fifth with 12 wins and ranked ninth with 175 strikeouts. In his final seven starts of the season after July 15, went 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA (44.0 IP, 18 ER), seven walks and 47 strikeouts.
The key starter is the lefty Freeland, who lost his delivery and his location, went to the injured list twice and endured an option to Triple-A — all after finishing fourth in the National League Cy Young Award race in 2018. Freeland finished 2019 with a career-low 22 starts, going 3-11 with a 6.73 ERA (104.1 IP, 78 ER). Freeland allowed a career-high 25 home runs and his 2.16 home runs per nine innings rate was the fifth-highest in the Majors, the highest rate in the NL.
Wade Davis returns as closer, and he was freaking terrible in 2019. Davis made 50 relief appearances in his second season with the Rockies and posted an 8.65 ERA (42.2 IP, 41 ER), the second-highest ERA by a reliever (min. 50 appearances) in MLB history (highest: Vic Darensbourgh, 8.83 ERA with 1999 Florida Marlins). Davis finished with a 1-6 record. In 2018, Davis led the NL with a Rockies franchise record and career-high 43 saves.
Colorado Rockies Offseason Movements
- Colorado Rockies Notable additions: C Elias Diaz, SP Ubaldo Jimenez, IF Chris Owings, IF Kelby Tomlinson.
- Colorado Rockies Notable subtractions: 1B Yonder Alonso (ATL), SP Tyler Anderson (SF).
