Rockies Manager Warren Schaeffer Drops Honest Quote After Win Over Diamondbacks

When the Colorado Rockies hired Paul DePodesta as the next president of baseball operations, his first offseason in Denver was a rather predictable one. Instead of coming in and making some sweeping changes, he stayed patient and made some simple moves in free agency and through trades.

There was one common theme with the moves: bringing in veteran players to surround the younger core that DePodesta and manager Warren Schaeffer are trying to identify. One of those players brought in was pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano. What an addition it is turning out to be.

Along with veterans Michael Lorenzen and Jose Quintana, the Rockies were hoping one of them would take on the role of a leader for the pitching staff and Sugano certainly has done that. Lorenzen has struggled and Quintana has dealt with injuries. After Sugano's latest gem, Schaeffer didn't beat around the bush about his right-hander.

Some Honest Praise for the Veteran

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano — Tomoyuki Sugano | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Taking the ball in the middle game of a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Sugano did what a veteran pitcher does: he rebounded nicely from a tough start.

He allowed two first-inning home runs to Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte, but shut down the Diamondbacks over the next five innings for his 12th win of the season. He drew some high praise from Schaeffer after the win.

“The best ones in the game are really good at adjusting midgame, hitter to hitter,” Schaeffer said, per Steve Stockmar of MLB.com. “He’s obviously been pitching a very long time and he knows how to do that well. You can’t do that unless you’re calm, under control, and you trust what you have. Tomo is all three of those things.”

Sugano needed to adjust hitter to hitter and that's what he did. After the first inning, he allowed just three hits over his final five innings. He finished with six strikeouts and didn't walk a batter, throwing 93 pitches. Three scoreless innings from the bullpen helped Sugano improve to 12-5, tying him for second-most wins in the National League. Who had that on their bingo card for mid-August when the 2026 season began?

Don't look now, but Colorado picked up their 47th victory on Tuesday night in Arizona. Why is that significant? The Rockies are trying to avoid a fourth straight 100-loss season and if they do, Sugano will play a huge role in accomplishing that.

When Sugano was signed along with Lorenzen and Quintana over the offseason, maybe DePodesta might be able to flip them at the trade deadline. It didn't happen and Sugano is quietly having a year that not many saw coming. Colorado needs every win he can get in 2026.

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