Pair of Rockies Relievers Thriving as End of Regular Season Approaches

Despite a disastrous season for the Colorado Rockies, two relief pitchers have stood out as silver linings during the stretch run.

Aug 2, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Victor Vodnik (38) pitches in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

It has proven to be another disastrous regular season for the Colorado Rockies, who own an MLB-worst 38-96 record and are 15.5 games behind the next-worst team in the National League standings.

The team's pitching struggles has been brought on by the extreme altitude of Coors Field, and the offensive outbursts that used to counteract that in the club's better years has disappeared as talent has dwindled and payroll has been slashed.

The result is fielding a team that has struggled mightily to win games both at home and on the road. The Rockies have the worst home record in MLB this year. That was not the case in 2024 even as they finished last in the NL, as the team had a better record at Coors Field than the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins produced in their home venues.

Colorado owns the worst ERA of all MLB teams from its starting rotation, and its bullpen ranks 29th in the league, leading only the Washington Nationals in that regard. But on a unit that has struggled as a whole, two of the group's relievers have turned in solid efforts this season that have only gotten better through the dog days of summer.

Victor Vodnik, Jimmy Herget Shining Out of Rockies Bullpen

David Richard-Imagn Images

In 2023, the Rockies traded standout reliever Pierce Johnson to the Atlanta Braves for right-handed pitchers Victor Vodnik and Tanner Gordon. In doing so, they replaced one quality bullpen option with a younger one, as Vodnik has developed nicely over the last two seasons.

The 25-year-old owns a 3.35 ERA and has struck out 44 opposing hitters in 40.1 innings of work, and he's gotten even stronger as the season's gone on. In the month of August, he's thrown 8.1 innings in which he's allowed five hits and two earned runs while striking out 10. That's good for a 2.16 ERA over a stretch where five of his eight appearances have been at home.

Jimmy Herget, a 31-year-old righty, has achieved similar success. His 2.54 ERA across 71 innings this season makes him the best pitcher on the roster at preventing runs, and he's been good for a 1.26 ERA over 14.1 innings in August.

Both Vodnik and Herget are under team control for next season, which means Colorado could have two building blocks when it comes to forming a competitive bullpen. As the team's impressive core of young hitting prospects gets closer to joining the Major League ranks, that could prove valuable as the Rockies look to climb back toward being competitive.

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