Rockies May Transition Reliever Jimmy Herget to Starting Pitcher

Rockies reliever Jimmy Herget may shift to starting rotation after stellar 2025 season, but discussions remain very preliminary.

Jul 1, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Jimmy Herget (44) delivers a pitch in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies are reshaping their pitching staff after a historically bad 2025 season that saw their rotation post a 6.65 ERA. One surprising solution involves a reliever who excelled in the bullpen potentially transitioning to a starting role.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon (subscription required) eported that reliever Jimmy Herget is expected to prepare as a starter heading into next season.

Denver Post beat writer Patrick Saunders added context on X about the timeline of any potential move.

Rockies Considering Starter Role for Herget After Strong 2025 Season

Several reports out there that #Rockies RHP Jimmy Herget could be a starter in 2026. I’m told that although there have been some discussions, it’s very preliminary at this point.

— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) December 11, 2025

"Several reports out there that #Rockies RHP Jimmy Herget could be a starter in 2026. I'm told that although there have been some discussions, it's very preliminary at this point," Saunders wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

The 32-year-old was excellent out of the bullpen in 2025, recording a 2.48 ERA across 59 games in his first season with Colorado. Herget racked up a career-high 83.1 innings with the Rockies and pitched more than an inning in 31 appearances. His performance improved as the season progressed, going from a 2.94 ERA before the All-Star break to 1.85 over 34.1 innings in the second half.

Herget struck out 81 batters while walking just 26, showing the kind of command that translates across roles. Those numbers caught the attention of manager Warren Schaeffer, who recognized Herget's value to the struggling team.

"It's not out of the question for me to say that Jimmy's been our most important bullpen arm of the year. I think that's 100% fact," Schaeffer told the Denver Post (subscription required) in September. "Because he's been able to come in in the middle of innings and put out fires — be our fireman. He's got that calm demeanor of, 'I've done this before, I know what I'm doing.' There's so much value in that. He knows who he is, and he gets after it."

That ability to put out fires in relief could translate to preventing them as a starter. The potential conversion addresses a critical organizational need, as Colorado's starting rotation was historically bad in 2025. They recorded the worst ERA for a starting staff since the statistic became official in 1913. The Rockies won just 22 games from their starters, forcing the bullpen to handle extended work throughout the year.

Converting a 32-year-old journeyman reliever to a starter is highly unconventional, especially one who has never started a professional game. Herget was a starter at USF but has worked exclusively in relief since being drafted by the Reds in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. His extended outings in 2025 suggest he can handle higher workloads, but maintaining effectiveness over five or six innings on a regular schedule presents a different challenge.

The conversion would also cap a remarkable career arc for Herget. He made his MLB debut with Cincinnati in 2019 and bounced around the league before finding success in Colorado. He spent time with the Rangers, Angels, and Braves, with his best previous season coming in 2022 when he recorded a 2.48 ERA with nine saves across 69 innings for the Angels.

Injuries and inconsistency limited him in subsequent years before the Cubs claimed him off waivers near the end of the 2024 season. After just eight games with Atlanta, Chicago designated him for assignment, and the Rockies picked him up.

The Rockies finished 43-119 in 2025, prompting the front office overhaul that brought Paul DePodesta to Denver in November as president of baseball operations. DePodesta has emphasized finding creative solutions to fix the pitching staff, particularly given the challenges of developing arms at altitude, where breaking balls lose movement, and fastballs get hit harder.

Whether Herget becomes part of that solution remains uncertain. Spring training will determine if preliminary discussions become reality and if a career reliever can help stabilize a rotation desperate for answers.

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