Rockies Ace Praises New Pitching Coaching Staff as ‘Breath of Fresh Air’

The Colorado Rockies need to turn around the pitching staff, and the franchise has assembled a new group to try and make it work.

A detailed view of a Colorado Rockies hat and glove on the bench of a dugout. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies were awful in 2025. There are many ways of looking at it, but one number sticks out above the others.

That number was 6.65. That was the ERA for the starting rotation in 2025. It was the worst in baseball history. The staff’s ERA of 5.99 was ninth worst in baseball history. But the starting rotation did more damage.

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Pitching in Coors Field is not easy. That’s a fact. The thin air at altitude makes if more favorable for hitters. Kyle Freeland knows the pain.

The long-time Rockies starting pitcher for his 10th and what could be his final season with Colorado. He’s a free agent after this season, barring a triggering of his vesting option for 2027. The 32-year-old has seen it all — including a Major League-league leading 17 losses in 2025.

That’s why he’s kept an open mind as the Rockies turned over the pitching coaching staff this offseason under new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta. He’s glad he did.

Kyle Freeland on Rockies New Pitching Approach

Kyle Freeland has been impressed by the new #Rockies coaches aiming to reshape pitching at Coors Field.

“It’s been a breath of fresh air… It creates excitement in the clubhouse to try and see if (new changes) work. If they fail, so what. Move onto the next thing.” pic.twitter.com/p3M5GFj5oa

— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) January 24, 2026

During a question-and-answer session with Rockies fans at FanFest, Freeland was asked about the new approach. As recorded by Rockies Insider Patrick Lyons, the right-hander called the new group a “breath of fresh air” because it is willing to try new things and not remain stuck on things that don’t. The past several months has been a large brainstorming session for everyone.

“There’s been some funky, wacky ideas that have been thrown around in those conversations,” he said. “But it’s also extremely refreshing to hear those kinds of ideas and those thought processes because it creates excitement to go out and try them and see if they work. If they fail, you can move on to the next thing that you want to try and find success.”

The Rockies have remade their pitching room with a new set of coaches, led by former Miami Marlins assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman. He’s joined by bullpen coach Matt Buschmann and assistant pitching coach Gabe Ribas. Colorado also hired Matt Daniels as the organization’s director of pitching, which helps oversee minor league development.

Dollander made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Rockies and a bounce-back season is key from him if Colorado wants to avoid a fourth straight 100-loss season. Along with last year’s 5-17 record he had a 4.98 ERA in 31 starts, with 124 strikeouts and 38 walks in 162 innings.

He has a career record of 65-90 with a 4.54 ERA, but he had one incredible season in 2018. In that campaign he went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA, all career bests for Dollander. He started 33 games, struck out 173 and walked 70. That was good enough for him to finish fourth in NL Cy Young voting.  

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