Rockies Have an $8 Million Regret that Coors Field is Eating Alive

When the Colorado Rockies signed Michael Lorenzen to a one-year, $8 million contract in January 2026, it was pretty straightforward thinking.

The Rockies were overhauling their rotation, and for good reason. They went out looking for some affordable veteran experience.

Colorado’s rotation in the 2025 season posted a collective 6.65 ERA. That was the highest by any team in a single season since 1893.

That’s not a typo. 1893. To say that Paul DePodesta and GM Josh Byrnes had their work cut out for them is the understatement of the year.

They went out and signed three veteran arms in Michael Lorenzen at $8 million; Tomoyuki Sugano for $5.1 million; and Jose Quintana for $6 million. All on one-year deals.

Same strategy, same rotation, same ballpark. Three very different results.

Lorenzen: A Fly-Ball Pitcher Invited to the Worst Possible Address

Colorado Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Through seven starts in 2026, Lorenzen owns a dismal 5.97 ERA and a 1.85 WHIP across 28.2 innings. Opposing hitters are licking their chops coming to the batter’s box. Posting a 62.5% hard-hit, a .427wOBA and an average exit velocity allowed of 92.1 mph, teams are having great success against him.

Honestly though, the Rockies must have thought they could fix something in the right-hander because the signs were there before he ever threw his first pitch in a Rockies uniform.

In 2025, Lorenzen posted a career-worst 1.59 HR/9, along with the highest fly-ball rate among qualified starters and a 14% HR/FB rate, which was among the league’s worst.

In hindsight, signing a pitcher with that sort of profile was a mismatch at best and certainly has to be a regret so far.

Sugano and Quintana Thriving

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

While Lorenzen struggles, his $5.1 million teammate is making the Rockies look sneaky good. Sugano holds a 3.42 ERA, which is down from last year’s 4.64.

Manager Warren Schaeffer has not held back on his praise for the pitcher at times commenting on his professionalism and saying that overall, he has been “impressive.”

At 37 years old, Quintana came in with a 3.53 ERA over 100 starts since 2022. That ranked among the top 40 pitchers with at least 300 innings in that span.

The veteran remains as steady as he has always been. He is durable and a consistent innings-eater who doesn’t beat himself. Just what the Rockies need.

The Rockies Rotation Moving Forward

The Rockies’ veteran rotation experiment has been two-thirds successful. Sugano is a revelation in the Rockies organization. Quintana is delivering just what the team expected.

Credit has to be given here. The overall team ERA has improved by 1.85 over 2025. The new leadership strategy is working so far.

Lorenzen is the outlier. A fly-ball pitcher meeting the elevation of Coors Field was a risk, and so far it has not paid off. At $8 million, he was the most expensive of the three signings and now the least productive.

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