Rockies Starter Criticizes Latest Spring Training Start for Lack of Mechanics

The Colorado Rockies have three veteran options in their starting rotation this season. But it’s one youngster they hope evolves into their ace one day.

The Rockies have plenty invested in second-year pitcher Chase Dollander. He was their first-round pick in the 2023 MLB draft out of the University of Tennessee. He made just 27 minor league starts before Colorado called him up early last season. It was not what he or the Rockies were hoping for.

Now, he’s back for his first Major League spring training as a member of the 40-man roster and he’s trying to get himself ready for the season. After his start against the Athletics on Friday, he feels he has more work to do.

Chase Dollander’s Latest Start

"In my opinion, that wasn't a good outing for me."

Chase Dollander on his 3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 BBs & 2 Ks vs. the @Athletics at Hohokam Stadium. Dollander threw 32 of 53 pitches for strikes. #Rockies | @TheSuzieHunter pic.twitter.com/NeM5NQofCy
— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) March 7, 2026

Dollander pitched three innings in the start. He gave up four hits and one run, with two walks and two strikeouts. Of his 53 pitches, 32 of them were strikes. He clearly felt that number should have been higher.

“In my opinion, that wasn’t a good outing for me,” Dollander said to Guerilla Sports after the game. “My standards are very high for myself, and I think my coaches would agree that I’m the first person to tell you that things aren’t right. I got through it, yeah. But it wasn’t what I wanted to do out there. I felt like I was catching something [in my delivery] today, my mechanics didn’t feel quite as right as they normally do. That’s something we can look at on video and figure out what’s going on.”

With new leadership in the organization, the emphasis is on competition and “raising the floor,” as new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta put it recently. Along with general manager Josh Byrnes, they want young players like Dollander to compete for jobs. But, they also need Dollander to pitch like a first-round pick this season, because he didn’t a season ago.

Thrown into the fire with the worst team in baseball, Dollander went 2-12 with a 6.52 ERA in 21 starts. He struck out 82 and walked 49 in 98 innings. His season ended two weeks early after he was put on the 15-day injured list with a left patella tendon strain. He avoided surgery, but the recovery could be a reason for some of the mechanic issues he’s experiencing in spring training.

To be fair, he’s pitching much better this spring training than last. In 2025 he went 2-3 with a 7.13 ERA in six games (all starts) and gave up 14 earned runs with 24 strikeouts and 10 walks. So far this spring training he is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA with five strikeouts and three walks in seven innings.