German Marquez doesn’t put up big numbers for the Colorado Rockies, but he eats innings and is a very solid big-league starter considering the thin air he has to pitch in half the time. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Marquez’s and the Rockies’ 2020 MLB season – assuming there is one – and an overview.
German Marquez Awards Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season
- NL Cy Young Award: Marquez is +4000
- Odds to win NL West: Rockies are +2800 long shots
Marquez signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent in July 2011. The Rays added him to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season but on Jan. 28, 2016, Marquez and Jake McGee were traded to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Corey Dickerson and Kevin Padlo. Marquez was promoted to the Major Leagues on September 6, 2016.
In his first full season in 2017, Marquez went 11-7 with a 4.39 ERA in 162 innings (29 starts), notching a 1.38 WHIP and 147 strikeouts (8.17 K/9). He finished fifth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2018, he was even better in going 14-11 (his 14 wins were 9th-most in the NL) with a 3.77 ERA in 33 starts 230 strikeouts (4th) in 196 innings pitched (9th). He received the Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting pitcher in the National League, becoming the first Rockies pitcher to win the award since Mike Hampton in 2002.
Last April, Marquez agreed to a five-year, $43 million extension. The deal covered the 2019-to-2023 seasons, but also includes a club option that could turn into a mutual option for the 2024 season. The deal also includes escalators for top-five Cy Young finishes. The latest Márquez will reach free agency is following his age-29 season. The extension was the second-largest guarantee for a pitcher with two years of service.
Last year, Marquez finished 12-5 with a 4.76 ERA in 28 starts. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 26 with right arm inflammation and missed the remainder of the season. At the time of that injury, Marquez led the National League with 174.0 innings pitched, was tied for fifth with 12 wins and ranked ninth with 175 strikeouts.
He was epically bad on July 15 vs. the Giants in allowing a career-high 11 runs on 11 hits over 2.2 innings. However, in his final seven starts of the season after July 15, he went 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA (44.0 IP, 18 ER), seven walks and 47 strikeouts.
Marquez pitched at least eight innings four times, the most eight-inning outings since Jhoulys Chacín had four starts of at least eight innings in 2013. Three of Colorado’s four losing streaks of five or more games were snapped with Marquez earning the win in a quality start (April 14 at San Francisco, July 21 at New York-AL and Aug. 11 at San Diego). In those three games, he combined to allow five runs over 24.0 innings of work (1.88 ERA) with four walks and 19 strikeouts.
The right-hander had his first career complete-game shutout April 14 at San Francisco, allowing one hit with one hit batter and nine strikeouts. He took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before allowing a one-out single to Evan Longoria. It was the first one-hit complete game shutout in franchise history.
On July 21 at Yankee Stadium, he became the first NL pitcher to work seven or more innings and allow two runs or fewer at Yankee Stadium since Madison Bumgarner in 2016. Marquez was only the third NL pitcher to work seven or more frames and allow three or fewer hits since the ballpark opened in 2009.
Marquez pitched to a 3.67 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP on the road, but a 6.26 ERA and 1.55 WHIP at home. Can he overcome the thin air this year?
Few pitchers hit better than this guy as he batted.234 (11-for-47) with four doubles, one triple and 11 RBI. He led all pitchers with 11 RBI, tied for the lead with four doubles and ranked tied for sixth with 11 hits. His 11 RBI were tied for the second most by a pitcher in a single season in franchise history, the most since Jason Jennings had 11 in 2002.
Finally, Marquez had a five-game hitting streak from May 5-31, the first Rockies pitcher with a five-game streak since Mike Hampton in 2001. He batted.500 (6-for-12) with nine RBI in May, the most by a pitcher in any month since the St. Louis Cardinals’ Rick Wise had nine RBI in August 1973.
