Rockies Pitching Staff Showing Signs of Life, Feltner Returns and Reinforcements Near

When the Colorado Rockies wrapped up spring training, there was plenty of reason for both optimism and trepidation. Coming off the organization’s worst season, it was hard to believe in anything the team was selling.

Right out of the box, though, there were signs that the pitching staff had finally made a positive move to at least being better. Chase Dollander was showing the stuff that makes one a top prospect. Antonio Senzatela was healthy and looked sharp on the mound.

No, the rotation sure wasn’t going to compete for anyone’s ERA crown, but it did look like they could at least compete on a nightly basis.

April was promising with numbers this group hasn’t seen in years. Then May happened. All the optimism and positivity went right out the window. The wheels literally fell off.

Turning the page into June and things might have a slim chance of turning around some, but once again it is hard to get on the positivity train with the Rockies' history.

Feltner is taking the ball in his first start back since returning from a stint on the IL due to ulnar nerve inflammation. Then there was some more good news coming out of Denver today with the announcement that Jimmy Herget and Victor Vodnik are both progressing toward rehab outings to happen this weekend.

#Rockies currently have 11 players on the injured list. The most promising news pertains to a pair of relievers.

Jimmy Herget and Victor Vodnik are set to throw 20-25 pitches during live BP on Saturday before going out for two rehab outings with Triple-A Albuquerque on Monday.
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) June 5, 2026

So, maybe this pitching staff can find its footing again? Even some modest improvement would be welcome.

The Early Promise

One has to remember that when we talk about the numbers being good, it is by the Rockies’ standards. But, by those standards, April was pretty encouraging.

Sugano opened the year as the anchor of the staff and, through his first several starts, was proving why he deserved that position. He was consistent and ate innings which was just what the Rockies ordered.

Dollander, who was back from an elbow sprain, was providing quality starts and keeping Colorado in the game. Senzatela was holding his own leading the way in the bullpen.

As fast as the promise came, the regression set in.

Where It All Went Wrong

Colorado Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This can be summed up pretty easily. Michael Lorenzen. For a guy who came in and appeared to be genuinely excited about being with Colorado, Coors Field has literally chewed him up and spit him out. Well, actually, everywhere has been bad. Overall, he has a 2-8 record. He’s 1-3 at home and 1-5 away.

Over the course of his 14 starts he has posted an 8.01 ERA after 60.2 innings. He’s allowed 99 hits and 60 runs. He just can’t record outs on a consistent basis.

Kyle Freeland has been almost as bad. He’s walked out 10 times to start and has an 8.06 ERA.

Jose Quintana was recently placed on the 60-day injured list with a left elbow sprain. Tanner Gordon has struggled with a 6.37 ERA.

The bullpen is tired because the starters can’t go long into games. Even the best bullpens will eventually crack under that kind of pressure and workload.

Now for the upside. Dollander and Sugano. Together they hold a record of 8-7 with both posting just under a 4.0 ERA. But, both have spent time on the IL, which has left the door open for the rest of the staff to do damage that might be irreparable.

The Senzatela Secret

Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Shhhh. This could be the one thing the Rockies need to keep quiet about. Not many are talking about just how good Senzatela has been, but he has been dominant and not just for the team but literally across the National League.

Antonio Senzatela is 5-0 with a shocking 1.30 ERA across 17 appearances and 34.2 innings. He has allowed 21 hits against, giving up just five earned runs all season. His 0.89 WHIP and .178 batting average against are elite numbers. For a man working in the thin Colorado air, he has been remarkable.

Despite being overworked, the bullpen is doing its job.

Jaden Hill 3.43 ERA
Brennan Bernardino 3.70 ERA
Seth Halvorsen 2.70 ERA

What’s Coming

The Rockies will welcome Feltner back to the mound. Before his time on the IL, he wasn’t dominant, but he was at least functional. He holds a 2-1 record with a 4.85 ERA across six appearances. He offers at least a choice when faced with Lorenzen and Freeland’s numbers.

The bullpen has more reinforcements coming as well. Herget and Vodnik are set to throw 20-25 pitches each in live BP on Saturday. Then they will both head to Triple-A to get a rehab outing on Monday.

More good news will happen when Mickey Moniak makes his way back to the lineup. He is working his way through right ankle tendinitis, but his timeline is still up in the air. Patrick Lyons reported on X that Moniak will likely need a rehab assignment before making his full return.

What All This Means

Not a single thing here makes the Rockies a contender. They are currently 24-39 sitting last in the National League West. No one expected them to do a complete turnaround and this rebuild is going to take years, due to the size of the hole Colorado dug for itself.

What it does mean though is the pitching staff could be getting better. The return of these players, combined with what was already working, could lead to a more complete pitching crew than the Rockies have seen since April.

No, this isn’t a turnaround, but it is part of building a foundation.

Add us as a preferred source on Google